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What is MS (Multiple sclerosis)

MS is a condition which affects the central nervous system and, because of damage to the Myelin Sheath, communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted. Many people experience their first symptoms with possibly blurred vision or muscle weakness between the ages of 20 and 40 yrs. The condition is unpredictable and varies from person to person. In Ireland approximately 6,000 people are living with this condition.
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Is there a cure

There is no cure, as yet, for MS. There are a number of medications available and many people are availing of these. There are also a range of therapies that help in dealing with some of the symptoms of MS and, when delivered in differing combinations, can be of assistance in a management program aimed at improving the life of our MS Community.
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​What causes MS?

No-one knows what causes this condition despite vast amounts of research, which is ongoing. There are various schools of thought that the cause may be genetic or environmental, or a lack of vitamin D, or a result of a serious head injury.

One or a combination of these factors may cause inappropriate activity of the immune system which is the body’s defence mechanism, causing the destruction of the myelin sheath. Research has shown that MS is more likely to occur in Northern Europe, Canada, and the Northern States of the USA, New Zealand and Tasmania since these are the places where the incidence of MS is highest.
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​Types of MS

There are four recognised types of MS, each with slightly differing characteristics.
Benign/Static ms
Someone with a small number of relapses followed by a complete recovery may be described as having benign MS. It is only possible to make a diagnosis of benign MS once someone has experienced little or no disability for a period of 10 to 15 years. However, a relapse may occasionally occur after many years in which the MS has been inactive.
Relapsing Remitting MS
The most commonly diagnosed form of MS, relapsing remitting MS is when relapses (a flare-up of symptoms) are followed by remissions (periods of recovery). Relapses are unpredictable. They can last for days, weeks or months and vary from mild to severe. During a relapse there will either be new symptoms, or a recurrence or worsening of previous symptoms. Any changed or new symptoms must last for at least 24 hours to be described as a relapse. During remission, symptoms can disappear completely, although sometimes people make only a partial recovery.
Primary progressive MS
Primary progressive MS affects about 10 to 15 per cent of people diagnosed with MS. It has this name because from the first (primary) symptoms it is progressive. Symptoms gradually get worse over time, rather than appearing as sudden attacks (relapses) followed by periods of recovery (remissions). In primary progressive MS, early symptoms are often subtle problems with walking, which develop – often slowly – over time.
secondary progressive MS
Most people who have relapsing remitting MS eventually develop secondary progressive MS. This type of MS is identified when someone’s condition becomes steadily worse and their disability progresses for a period of six months or more, whether or not they continue to have relapses.


Symptoms of MS

​MS presents in many different ways. Some of the more common symptoms include extreme fatigue (often exacerbated by extremes in temperature), blurred or double vision, numbness and tingling, muscle spasms or weakness, bladder and/or bowel problems and impact on cognitive function.

​However, there are many other symptoms experienced by people living with MS, to varying degrees - there is no such thing as a 'textbook' case as each individual person will present with a slightly different symptom or combination of symptoms. 
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