Multiple Sclerosis – Why a hug might be the last thing you need

Sourced from The Hysterectomy Association: Hysterectomy Association - Hysterectomy Association - hysterectomy, menopause and hormone replacement therapy (hrt) information and support for women. Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease, and another prime example of an invisible illness. Physically, an MS patient may look well for most of the time, and might be able to go about normal daily activities like work and family life. However, what’s happening below the surface tells a very different story. The immune system attacks the myelin sheathing which protects the body’s nervous system, leaving the nerve exposed. To visualise this, you might like to think of an electrical wire with its casing worn away. Like that wire, the exposed nerve becomes dangerous and unpredictable. The symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis are as varied as the functions of our nerves. Nerves are our bodies’ pain receptors, so damage to the nerves can result in chronic physical pain – one of the symptoms most strongly associated with MS. However, the nerves are also responsible for transmitting messages from the body to the brain; they help us to regulate our body temperature, and to process sensations like hunger, thirst and pain. They even play a role in balance, memory formation and regulating sleep patterns. So the damage that MS wreaks on the nerves can result in fatigue, ‘brain-fog’ or confusion, impaired vision and even slurred speech. This wide range of symptoms means that no two MS suff...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - Category: OBGYN Authors: Tags: Health Conditions covance invisible illness multiple sclerosis Source Type: news