Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease in which your immune system attacks your central nervous system, including your brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve, destroying cells, tissue and protective nerve coverings, called myelin.
Although your genes play a role whether you develop MS – and the risk is high if other people of your family also have-MS is not a hereditary disease,
Hereditary diseases are genetic changes, or mutation, passing the child from the parents. For example, cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease caused by the mutation of a specific gene CFTR-And if you have inherited CFTR Jean from both your parents, you will have cystic fibrosis.
Multiple sclerosis is not a hereditary disease, even though genetic plays a role.
For example, researchers have identified more than 200 genes associated with the rising risk of MS. But born with genes associated with the risk of MS is only a piece of puzzle: To develop disorders you need a combination of genetics and environmental factors,
If you are born with genes that allow the development of MS in the right circumstances, you can trigger the onset of MS in contact with certain factors or circumstances. Many people are born with a genetic tendency and never develop MS.
What is the risk if a family member has an MS?
Although MS is not hereditary, it goes to families. 15-20% of people with disease have family history.
In the US, the average person has less probability of getting MS -1%, but this risk increases for first -degree relatives:
- there is 2% risk for children Parents with MS.
- there is 4% risk for brother -in -law and non -folded children Someone with MS.
- there is 31% risk for other similar twins When a twin is diagnosed with MS.
In addition to some inherited genes, many factors are associated with one MS risk increasedThis includes:
- Epstein-Bar virus (Ebv): EBV is the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis, or mono. Experts do not know that people who are infected with EBV – especially as adolescents or adults – have more risk of MS than people infected as children. This can be because the virus triggers an increased inflammatory response by the immune system.
- Low Vitamin D: People with low vitamin D levels in their blood are at a high risk for MS, likely how important it is for healthy immune function. Most of our vitamin D are exposed to the sun. Researchers have found that MS is less common in areas close to the equator, where there is strong sunlight for more months of the year.
- obesity: Obesity in adolescence and young adulthood may increase the risk of MS later in life, especially in girls. Obesity causes inflammation in the body, which can trigger MS in people with a genetic risk. Research suggests that teenagers with body mass index (BMI) of 27 or more are at risk.
- Smoking: Smoking is associated with high risk of many health conditions, including inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Smoking increases the risk of your MS, and it can also spoil the severity of your symptoms and speeds up the progression of the disease.
If you are at risk for multiple sclerosis, it can help know some of the first signs of MS so that you can identify them as soon as possible. Symptoms of MS often begin in young adulthood, between 20 and 40 years of age. MS symptoms Can join:
- Double vision and eye pain changes
- Muscle weakness
- Tingling or numbness in your arms, legs
- Difficulty with balance
- Bladder Incontinence
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
- Mood change
- Difficulty focusing or remembering
Many symptoms overlap with other conditions, so MS diagnosis Can be challenging. There is no test that you can confirm. Rather, doctors rely on a combination of strategies including physical examination, blood tests, spinal fluid tests, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose or rule other reasons.
Any Changes in your neurological health Warrant of an appointment with a healthcare provider. Other of your symptoms, seeing a primary care provider before other, more common reasons is a good idea. They can refer you to a neurologist (an expert in the nervous system) for more evaluation or treatment as required.
Delay in diagnosis of MS also means delay Cure msWhich can make your symptoms more difficult to manage. Early stages of the disease can also cause severe and permanent nerve damage.
Initial identity means that you can use treatments that are available to help control symptoms and limit damage to your central nervous system if you have MS.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects your nervous system, damaging your nerves and their protective veils. MS is caused by a combination of genes and environmental factors, but it is not inherited disease.
Your risk for developing MS is high if you also have other risk factors, such as MS, Epstein-bar virus infection, obesity, or parents with low vitamin D levels.