Part I: What causes the disease and its risk factors
It is estimated that over 2.3 million people are affected by multiple sclerosis worldwide. MS is managed by approximately 400,000 Americans or one in every 700 American adults. With about 10,000 new cases per year or approximately 200 new cases diagnosed each week in the U.S., it is a disease worthy of exploration.
Some Sun City residents have taken control of MS and are profiles in courage, who have learned to live productive lives. I begin with an open letter from one of our MS residents:
My name is Sue Iwinski, and I have lived in Sun City for seven years. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 35 years ago and would like to meet other people in our community that also have MS.
Recently, I was appointed an ambassadorship with the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. I am interested in starting a support
group in Sun City and would like those who are interested to contact me at sue.msfoundation@gmail.com.
Sue Iwinski
Sun City resident
According to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, “MS is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system, which is comprised of the brain and spinal cord.” Mayo Clinic calls MS “a potentially debilitating disease in which your body’s immune system destroys (with inflammation and scarring) the protective sheath (myelin) that covers your nerves.”
Like frayed insulation on electrical wires, “damage to the myelin causes interference in the communication between your brain, spinal cord, and other areas of your body. This condition may result in deterioration of the nerves themselves, a process that’s not reversible.”
Research continues to work on what exactly causes multiple sclerosis to happen. Doctors don’t know why some people get MS while others don’t. According to PubMed Health, “the most common thought is that a virus or gene defect or both are to blame. Environmental factors may play a role.” If one identical twin has the disease, there is only a 30 percent chance the second twin will develop it; therefore, it does not appear to be strongly directly inherited.
Ethnicity and geography are currently being studied by researchers with Caucasians from Northern Europe, Northern United States, Southern Canada, New Zealand, and Southeastern Australia, showing a stronger propensity towards MS. Mayo Clinic also comments that other autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, or thyroid disease may slightly increase the chance to develop MS.
Sun City resident Carol Schaefer was diagnosed at 43, while another resident, Joanne Nitti, received her diagnosis at 47. Women are twice likely than men to develop MS.
Important facts revealed by the National MS Society include the following: Don’t confuse Muscular Dystrophy with Multiple Sclerosis. MD “is a group of disorders that cause progressive and irreversible wasting away of muscle tissue.”
They do have in common, however, weakness and walking problems. MS is an unpredictable neurological disease. The National MS Society says, “Different people are likely to experience very different symptoms.” The severity or progression in any individual is impossible to predict, according to the MS Foundation. It is not contagious, and the majority of MS patients do not become severely disabled.
Indeed, a normal or near normal life expectancy can be anticipated by MS adults. While Multiple Sclerosis, according to Mayo Clinic, “has no known cure …. treatments may help to treat MS attacks, manage symptoms, and reduce progress of the disease.”
Next Edition: Part II: Four courses of MS and multiple sclerosis symptoms MS
