Multiple sclerosis or MS is a chronic and autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system which comprise of brain, spinal cord and the optic nerves. The attack will cause communication breakdown between the brain and other parts of the body; further resulting in a loss of muscle control, vision, balance, and sensation (such as numbness).

The name of multiple sclerosis comes from the buildup of scar tissue (sclerosis) in the brain and spinal cord. These scar tissues are form when the nerves of the brain and spinal cord are damaged by one’s own immune system and in the process, cause the myelin, the fatty substance that surrounds and protects the nerve fibers to be destroyed.

When the myelin is being destroyed or damaged, the nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain and spinal cord will be distorted or interrupted, causing the brain not being able to send or receive message.

The severity of symptoms from a multiple sclerosis attack varies from one person to another, partly depending on the location of the scan tissue and the extent of myelin damages. For mild case, one can experience numbness in the limbs and for a more serious extend, it could means paralysis or loss of vision.

Other possible symptoms includes any of the following problems either fully or partially – muscle weakness, muscle spasms, numbness, tingling, pins and needles, cramps, pain, blindness, blurred or double vision, incontinence, urinary urgency or hesitancy, constipation, difficulties of speech, slurred speech, tremors, loss of balance, nausea, disabling fatigue, depression, short term memory problems, other forms of cognitive dysfunction, inability to swallow, inability to control breathing and many others.

The chances of multiple sclerosis likely to strike on woman is two to three times higher than on man and it is more likely to happen between the ages between 20 and 40, with the risk gradually declining thereafter.

Till now, nobody know for sure what causes multiple sclerosis to occur, although most scientists and doctors believe that it is due to one’s own immune system, for one reason or another, mistaken and attacks the myelin as if it was a bacteria or a virus. However, it is also believed that there are many other contribution factors that could lead to the immune system to attack the myelin, such as genetic, virus, environmental or even exposure to toxic material.