"Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disorders and causes of disability in young adults," according to a 2008 WHO publication. Although some people with MS lead functional lives without acute disability, 60 percent of people with MS become incapable of walking only 20 years after the first onset of the disease, severely diminishing their quality of life.
Women are two to three times more likely to develop the disease than men, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, US. Though the cause of this often-devastating illness is still largely unknown, new treatments are now available to manage the disease. To shed more lights on the issues related to MS, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) hosted a public awareness programme highlighting treatments, symptoms and effects of MS in Pakistan.
MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease where the bodys defence system attacks the fatty tissue surrounding the nerves, brain and spinal cord. It has different symptoms ranging from numbness in the limbs to paralysis and double vision, all of which are caused when damage to this fatty tissue interferes with signals transmitted around the body through the nervous system.
Dr Mughis Sheerani, Consultant Neurologist, AKUH, said: "It is important that physicians in Pakistan recognise the early symptoms of MS so it is properly diagnosed and its progression controlled." He also added that an MRI scan of the brain with contrast was the gold standard test to confirm MS.
Patients who have MS usually suffer from multiple attacks that cause more damage as the disease progresses. "While no cure exists for the disease, there are new cutting edge treatments available to combat the progression of the disease," said Dr Mohammad Wasay, Consultant Neurologist, AKUH.
A database of MS patients has been set up at AKU, where two studies related to the genetic factors and progression of MS among Pakistani patients are underway. Research shows that new treatments modify how the disease progresses and helps tackle relapses and manage symptoms, allowing patients to live more comfortably with the disease.
To better equip patients to cope with the physical effect of the disease, Asim Mehmood, Physiotherapist, AKUH, spoke about various rehabilitation options open to patients and their families, including physical, occupational and speech therapy, among others.-PR