What exactly is Multiple Sclerosis?

I would like to know how MS affects people, what the symptoms are and what tests the docs do to find out if someone has MS. Also, what type of doc specializes in treatments of MS and similiar diseases.

That is a HUGE question! Well.. MS is thought to be an auto-immune disease, no one knows for sure, but is most likely. Multiple Sclerosis means multiple "scars or hardening" which is what happens. If the auto-immune thing is true then what happens is blood cells cross the blood-brain barrier (no cells are supposed to cross) and see the myelin sheath around the nerves as foreign and attacks it, making the scars. People can have a wide range of symptoms, vision problems are most common, double, blurry or loss of vision. Sensation changes are second most common, loss of feeling. Balance is a problem, fatigue, urinary problems. The affects are numerous because the brain controls everything, which means everything can be affects. To test for MS most common is an MRI.. some doctors like to do a Spinal Tap as well. The doctor that specializes in MS is a Neurologist. He does the treatment and follows up. Some Nero's will treat all symptoms, and some won't, Some will send patients to specialists for certain thing, like bladder problems will go to a urologist..

this is a whole lot to take in..
I hope I helped

good luck in finding what you want.. Source(s): I am 21 and have been diagnosed with MS for the past two years.

My grampa has ms, from what I understand its a degenerative disease that breaks down the muscles, and is not curable.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/multi...
It's an autoimmune disease where the white brain matter (myelin) and of the spinal cord are destroyed.
Ms is an autoimmune disorder and these are treated by either a neurologist or a rhuematologist. Usually it is a nuerologist as ms attacks the myelin sheath on the nerve fibers. The symptoms can come and go, and can be totally different for each person. Some folks get better, some get worse. Many folks notice muscle weakness, balance disorders, they are soooo tired, they can fall, losing bowel or bladder control, you name it. It tends to come in "flairs" and can go away completely afterwords. They are hoping that the new stem cell research and therapy may truly help. In the meantime take fish oil capsules if you can as the fat helps the nerves. A good diet and vitamins in general are a good idea as is avoiding stress, polution, etc. If you want to keep on on clinical trials and things you can go to medscape and keep current with the research or learn about studies to participate in. It is diagnosed mainly, I believe, by ruling out other disorders. Oh, and autoimmune means the body attacking itself instead of an outside germ or bacteria.
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