Many have heard the tongue-twister, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), but given it scant thought.
Did you know that MS, a chronic neurological disease, affects young adults in the prime of their life, in their 20's and 30's, a majority of whom may be breadwinners?
Considered a "special disease" since 1868, when the first case of MS was diagnosed, the world has at last woken up to the gravity of this illness which leads to progressive loss of nerve function and 141 years later declared May 27 as 'World MS Day'.
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courtesy nytimes.com |
For pretty Dr. Hithaishi Weerakoon, it all started when she was just 24 years old. Pins and needles in her feet, sometimes her foot felt like plastic. There was numbness of face and feet; inability to pick up things or hold papers and difficulty in coordinating hand movements.
It was only after a car accident that she was diagnosed with MS. She was 34 years old and lecturing at the Peradeniya University. Her world literally came to a halt. She had to give up work, she was unable to drape a saree or button up a blouse. Her words, "I felt lost and alone", says it all.
What is MS?
Multiple sclerosis which means "many scars", affects the central nervous system which includes the brain and spinal cord. The most common disabling neurological disease among young adults, between the ages of 20 and 40, women are almost twice as likely to develop MS, than men. In rare cases it also affects children, MediScene understands.
While the cause of MS is unknown, a cure or prevention has yet to be identified and research continues, says Dr. Udaya Ranawaka, Consultant Neurologist of the Colombo North Teaching Hospital and Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Ragama. He was delivering the keynote address at the event organized in connection with World MS Day by the MSAL and Zonta Club II of Colombo.
Explaining the workings of the central nervous system, Dr. Ranawaka says messages are sent from the brain and spinal cord to all parts of the body through nerve fibres. Surrounding and protecting these nerve fibres is an important substance called myelin which helps messages travel quickly and smoothly from the brain to the rest of the body.
Drawing a comparison, he says, nerves are similar to electric cables and the myelin to the plastic insulation protecting these cables. "If the insulation is damaged, there could be a short-circuit."
In MS, an auto-immune disease, the immune system, which normally targets and destroys substances foreign to the body such as bacteria, mistakenly attacks the myelin surrounding the nerve fibres. The damage to the myelin disrupts the messages travelling along the nerve fibres, either slowing them down or distorting (short-circuiting) them, or not allowing them to get through at all, it is learnt.
What are the symptoms?
As the central nervous system links all bodily activities, many different symptoms can appear, according to Dr. Ranawaka, depending on which part of the nervous system is affected.
"MS is unpredictable. It varies from person to person and can result in different symptoms, none of which is unique to MS. Symptoms can also vary from time to time in the same person and range from mild to severe, brief to persistent. There is no typical pattern that applies to all," he says.
Some of the common symptoms include:
- Overwhelming sense of tiredness
- Balance - walking and co-ordination difficulties
- Visual problems - double vision and loss of sight
- Numbness and tingling in hands and feet
- Pain - both mild and severe
- Loss of muscle strength
- Stiffness and spasms in muscles
- Mood swings - depression and anxiety
- Memory and concentration problems
- Speech problems
Several new treatment options are now available, which are capable of modifying the immune response and minimizing the frequency and severity of acute episodes, says Dr. Ranawaka, adding that even though a 'cure' may not be possible at present, specialist care from a multi-disciplinary team of health-care professionals can be very effective in relieving symptoms, minimizing disability and improving functional independence.
Creating awareness about MS
Zonta Club II of Colombo joined hands with the Multiple Sclerosis Association of Lanka (MSAL) founded by Dr. Hithaishi Weerakoon to mark the first World MS Day on May 27 and create awareness about this disease.
Spread the message about this debilitating disease which affects mostly women, was the plea of the President of Zonta Club II of Colombo, Chathuri Ranasinghe.
MSAL, with its slogan 'Getting the MoSt out of life', provides a network of care and support to patients and their caregivers by bringing together these as well as doctors and well-wishers.
Their activities include home visits; financial assistance for wheelchairs, physiotherapy, purchase of drugs and disposables; assistance for travel to MS meetings and for daily living especially if the bread winner has been affected.
MSAL may be contacted at: 144, Vipulasena Mawatha, Colombo 10; phone: 2698722 or 0779219099 or on e-mail: msalinfo@yahoo.com
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