GuernseyMs.com
Title
Multiple Sclerosis Society - Bailiwick of Guernsey
Description
Approximately 100 people in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and 85,000 in the whole of Britain suffer from Multiple Sclerosis (MS for short). MS is a chronic, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms may be mild such as numbness in the limbs or severe -- paralysis or loss of vision. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40 but the unpredictable physical and emotional effects can be lifelong. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are giving hope to those affected by the disease. Multiple Sclerosis , sometimes known as disseminated sclerosis, is the most common organic disease of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). It's also one of the most baffling. It affects more women than men, although it's not known why this is.
Each nerve in your system is protected by a fatty substance called the myelin sheath which acts as an insulation within the central nervous system. In MS sufferers the myelin sheath can become inflamed. In most cases the tissue is destroyed, leaving fibrous scar tissue. This scarring prevents nerve impulses from traveling from the central nervous system to different parts of the body and, as a result, millions of nerve fibres which run through the spinal cord fail to carry their information properly. This results in varying degrees of disability from impairment of speech, vision or movement, to incontinence or complete paralysis. However, although a great deal of research is under way, it is still not known what actually causes the inflammation.
Although there is not yet a cure for MS, various drugs are available to treat certain symptoms and there are drugs which help can help to increase the time between episodes. Steroids are a common treatment in the early stages and physiotherapy can help to regain the use of muscles, maintain strength and aid co-ordination. It is important to keep a good general level of health, and diet can help with this. Some sufferers find that switching to a low fat diet, and eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables can help.
Contact
- MS Society - Guernsey Branch
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