Multiple sclerosis

  Multiple sclerosis is considered one of the chronic diseases that affect young people, a phase of achievement and aspirations. When they are afflicted with it, it significantly impacts their social and psychological lives, leading to shock, fear of the unknown, and a sense that they may never return to their former selves. They fear that their lives will change dramatically, and there will be significant challenges in adapting to this illness, understanding its complexities, and whether there is a future or if life will come to a halt. The dreams they had and the plans they made may become difficult to achieve.

Multiple sclerosis goes by various names, including multiple sclerosis, disseminated sclerosis, or demyelinating encephalomyelitis. It results from damage to the protective sheath around nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This damage impairs communication between different parts of the nervous system, leading to a range of physical, cognitive, and sometimes psychological symptoms. It presents with a variety of symptoms, including vision problems, balance issues, dizziness, paralysis, sensory disturbances, muscle weakness, spasms, pain, and fatigue. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. In 2008, it affected an estimated 2-2.5 million people worldwide, with varying prevalence rates in different regions and population groups. By 2020, the global prevalence had risen to 3.0 million, with an estimated worldwide prevalence rate of 35.9 per 100,000 people. It is estimated that someone is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis every 5 minutes worldwide.

Multiple sclerosis takes on several different forms, with new symptoms appearing either as separate attacks (relapsing forms) or accumulating over time (progressive forms). While symptoms may completely disappear between attacks, permanent neurological problems often develop, particularly in advanced stages of the disease. While the exact cause is unclear, it is believed to involve either immune system damage or failure of myelin-producing cells. Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis relies on clinical signs, symptoms, and supportive medical tests.

There is no known cure for multiple sclerosis, but treatments aim to improve post-attack function and prevent new attacks. Medications used to treat multiple sclerosis are moderately effective but often come with adverse effects and can be challenging to tolerate. Many patients seek alternative therapies despite their unproven efficacy. Long-term outcomes are difficult to predict, but often, favorable results are seen in female patients, those who develop the disease at a young age, those with relapsing forms who experience few attacks, and those with a milder disease course. The average life expectancy is reduced by 5-10 years compared to unaffected individuals.

The name "multiple sclerosis" refers to the hardened scars—known as plaques or lesions—that primarily occur in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord. Jean-Martin Charcot was the first to describe the disease in 1868. Recent research has suggested several ways to mitigate the severity of multiple sclerosis symptoms, such as seeking social and emotional support from close friends and loved ones to reduce family stress and social isolation. Helping the patient find hopes and aspirations they can achieve while adapting to their current condition is essential. Additionally, the use of mindfulness meditation techniques as part of cognitive-behavioral therapy has been found beneficial in improving the quality of life, increasing well-being, enhancing hope for survival, and reducing depression.