Although there is no cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. are living with it – roughly 400,000 people to be exact, and of that, 86 percent list fatigue as the number one symptom of their disease. The cause of MS is not known; it is not contagious or known to be directly inherited, but the multiple sclerosis facts we know so far show us that the following factors come into play:
- Gender – Women are impacted more than twice as often as men
- Age – The majority of people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50
- Geography – Most people with multiple sclerosis live in moderate climates
- Ethnic background – Caucasians are at a heightened risk
It is believed that multiple sclerosis symptoms occur when an immune system attack affects myelin, the protective insulation encompassing nerve fibers of the central nervous system. For people with MS, myelin is destroyed and replaced by scars of toughened sclerotic tissue. Some underlying nerve fibers are permanently severed, and the damage manifests in multiple places within the central nervous system — providing the disease with its name.
While no cure for multiple sclerosis has been discovered yet, several FDA-approved drugs are accessible for the long-term treatment of MS. These meds have been shown to lessen the number and severity of MS flare-ups, and possibly delay disease progression. Additionally, numerous therapeutic and technological advances are aiding people in managing their symptoms.
Contact Hillendale Home Care to find out how our in-home caregivers can help a person with MS to feel enabled, motivated and connected to others. Feel free to call us anytime at 925-933-8181 to learn about our home care in Walnut Creek, CA and the surrounding areas.
