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WHAT IS
MS? |
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Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease affecting the
central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). It
occurs when the immune system attacks nerve fibers and
myelin sheathing in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in
abnormal nervous system function. Myelin is a fatty
substance that surrounds healthy nerve fibers, insulating
the fibers to help transmission of electrical messages along
the nerves to various parts of the body. Nerve cell
processes and myelin sheathing are destroyed by the
inflammation that occurs with this abnormal immune attack,
causing an interruption or distortion of the message.
There are several types of MS that reflect different courses
of illness: |
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Relapse-Remitting MS |
At the time of
diagnosis, 90 percent of patients will have
relapsing-remitting pattern of disease. This form of
MS is characterized by the onset of the following symptoms
over a period of hours to days:
-Numbness
-Tingling
-Blurred Vision
-Unsteady Gait
These symptoms tend to persist for days or weeks, and then
disappear partially or completely on their own or with
treatment. Patients may then remain symptom free for
weeks, months, or even years. The periods of disease
activity are called exacerbations or relapses. The
periods without symptoms are called remissions.
Without treatment, most people with MS will develop disease
symptoms that will gradually worsen over time. In most
cases, this will be without discernable relapses and
remissions. |
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Secondary Progressive MS |
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| If the
condition progresses to a point where there are no
discernable relapses and remissions, the diagnoses is
Secondary Progressive MS |
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Primary Progressive MS |
| About 10 - 15
percent of patients will have gradual worsening from the
start of their MS disease. This is referred to as
primary progressive MS. |
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Benign MS |
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| Benign
MS is a mild course where an individual will have mild
disease after having MS for about 15 years. This
occurs in about 5 - 10 percent of patients. There is
no good way of predicting which patients will follow this
course. |
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WHO
DOES MS AFFECT? |
| Multiple Sclerosis
typically affects those with the following characteristics:
-MS usually affects
young adults, typically between the ages of 15 and 50
-MS affects women more than men
-MS affects people of European descent more often than
individuals of African or Asian ancestry
-MS occurs more frequently in temperate zones than places
near the equator
-People with family members diagnosed with MS are at a
slightly higher risk for developing the disease |
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WHAT
CAUSES MS? |
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| The
exact cause of MS is unknown. It appears to be an
autoimmune disease in which the immune system is stimulated
to attack myelin in the central nervous system. The
source of the initial stimulus has not been clearly
identified. In certain people who inherit a
predisposition to MS, the trigger may be infections (such as
viruses) or other factors in the environment.
Individuals may also have a genetic predisposition for
developing the disease as people with family members
diagnosed with MS are at a slightly higher risk. |
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SYMPTOMS |
| Symptoms vary
greatly from person to person, over time, and in intensity.
They may include sensory symptoms, such as paresthesia
(numbness and tingling) and pain, visual symptoms such as
double vision, motor symptoms such as weakness, tremor,
dizziness, spasticity, autonomic symptoms such as frequent
urination, urgency and other symptoms such as fatigue. |
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OUR
MISSION |
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Progress continues to be made in the search for treatments
and ultimately a cure. It is with this goal in mind
that Hockey Fights MS sponsors our annual tournaments.
Proceeds from Hockey Fights MS are donated to institutions
that conduct research into the treatment and cure of this
disease. This year's event will benefit Project
Restore of Johns Hopkins and the National MS Society's All
American Chapter Vermont Office. We thank you for your time,
interest, and contributions. |
