Prevention of multiple sclerosis. Risk factors and the possibility of preventing the disease

Causes of multiple sclerosis

As a result of the influence of a number of factors, the permeability of the blood-brain barrier increases (its main function is to protect brain antigens from the destructive effects of the immune system’s own cells). As a result, a larger number of T-lymphocytes enter the brain tissue and the inflammation process starts. The result of such inflammation is the destruction of the myelin sheath of the nerve, since the immune system perceives myelin antigens as foreign. The transmission of nerve impulses in the same volume becomes impossible and the person begins to suffer from the symptoms of the disease.

Multiple sclerosis is caused by multiple external and internal factors, so it is considered a multifactorial pathology.

The following etiological circumstances attract the special attention of scientists:

The influence of viruses on the occurrence of disease. These are retroviruses, herpes viruses, measles and rubella virus, infectious mononucleosis, especially in combination with endogenous retroviruses. Past bacterial infections - streptococcal, staphylococcal, etc. - have a negative impact. However, scientists have come to the conclusion that there is not a single virus that directly leads to the development of the disease. However, they are trigger factors that support and induce the development of the inflammatory and autoimmune process, thereby stimulating neurodegenerative changes.
The influence of chronic intoxication on the human body. Of particular danger are poisonings from chemicals, organic solvents, metals, gasoline, etc. Living in an environmentally unfavorable area, especially in childhood, is considered a negative factor.
Features of the diet. In this regard, animal fats and proteins and their excessive consumption before the age of 15 pose a danger. If a person suffers from obesity from the age of 20, then the risk of developing the disease increases by 2 times. It has also been proven that excessive consumption of table salt leads to pathological activity of the immune system.
Frequent psycho-emotional stress, chronic stress.
Physical overexertion.
Head and back injuries, surgical operations.
Genetic predisposition to the development of the disease. This is especially true in a family history of multiple sclerosis. The risk of disease in blood relatives ranges from 3 to 10%.
Taking oral contraceptives increases the risk of developing the disease by 35%.
Elevated blood sugar levels lead to rapid progression of the disease.

Scientists have also identified epidemiological risk factors for developing the disease:

Belonging to the European race. For example, among Eskimos, indigenous Indians, Majoris and some other races, the disease is extremely rare.
Presence of familial multiple sclerosis
Being female, women predominate in all patient populations, however, the unfavorable course of the disease is typical specifically for men.
A change in the area of residence affects the change in the incidence of the disease among the migrated population.
There are known cases of a sharp increase in morbidity in a limited area in a certain time period.

The first signs of multiple sclerosis

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis in 40% of cases of the disease are disturbances in motor functions, such as muscle weakness and poor coordination of movements. Also, in 40% of cases, disturbances in the sensitivity of the limbs occur - for example, numbness, a feeling of colic in the hands and feet.

In 20% of cases of multiple sclerosis, visual impairment, disturbances in walking movements, voluntary urination, fatigue, and dysfunction of sexual functions occur. With a long course of the disease, a decrease in intelligence is observed.

Signs of the development of multiple sclerosis depend on where the focus of demyelination is localized. Therefore, symptoms vary from patient to patient and are often unpredictable. It is never possible to simultaneously detect the entire complex of symptoms in one patient at once.

The first signs of the disease are the result of demyelination, which causes disruption of the passage of electrical impulses along nerve fibers. They most often manifest themselves violently; doctors rarely observe an imperceptible, hidden course of the disease.

So, the most common first signs of multiple sclerosis are:

A feeling of tingling and numbness in the limbs.
A periodically occurring feeling of weakness in the limbs, which is most often observed on one side.
Deterioration of vision, decreased clarity, double vision. In addition, there may be a veil before the eyes, passing blindness in one or both eyes. Oculomotor disorders such as strabismus, diplopia, vertical nystagmus, internuclear ophthalmoplegia are often the first signs of the onset of the disease.
Pelvic disorders. It is the disturbances in the process of urination that are observed in almost half of all patients. In 15% of people with multiple sclerosis, this is the only symptom. Possible incomplete emptying of the bladder, nocturia (when more urine is released at night than during the day), difficulty urinating, urinary incontinence, sudden urge to void, intermittent urination.
Already in the initial stages of the disease, there is an increase in fatigue or the so-called “chronic fatigue syndrome”.
The first signs of an impending disease may include: neuritis of the facial nerve, dizziness, staggering while walking, ataxia (static and dynamic), horizontal nystagmus, hypotension, etc.

Causes and provoking factors

Doctors have yet to determine the true cause of the development of multiple sclerosis in people. Today, only the role of immune mechanisms in the demyelinating process is obvious - the white matter of brain structures is more susceptible to damage.

Prerequisites for triggering an autoimmune failure:

age factor - young people under 25–30 years of age are affected, less often signs of a nervous disorder are detected after 50–55 years of age;
heredity - if there have already been cases of multiple sclerosis in the family, then the risk that the pathology will manifest itself in subsequent generations is high;
suffered acute severe psycho-emotional shocks or chronic stressful situations;
infectious lesions of brain structures that occurred with complications - meningitis, encephalitis;
deficiency of vitamin D in the body;
unfavorable environmental conditions - if a person lives in a metropolis for a long time, then the risk of developing MS is higher.

Statistically, multiple sclerosis affects both men and women equally. However, representatives of the fairer sex have a more fragile structure of the nervous system, so their incidence is higher. As a rule, in order for a pathology to form, exposure to several provoking factors is required.

Main symptoms of multiple sclerosis

As the disease progresses, the following symptoms of multiple sclerosis are noted:

Impaired sensitivity. Uncharacteristic sensations for a healthy person: numbness, itching, burning of the skin, tingling, transient pain - all these signs begin to bother the patient more often. Sensory impairment begins from the distal parts, namely from the fingers of the limb with its gradual complete capture. The disorders are often unilateral, but sometimes there is a transition to the second limb. Weakness in the initial stages of the disease can be confused with fatigue, but as sclerosis progresses, it will become increasingly difficult for a person to perform even simple movements. The limbs become alien, and there is no ability to maintain muscle strength.
Visual impairment. On the part of the organ of vision, there is a disturbance in color perception, the development of optic neuritis and acute loss of vision are possible. Most often, the lesion is also unilateral. Blurry and double vision, lack of coordination of eye movements when trying to move them to the side - all these are symptoms of the disease.
Tremor of the limbs. This symptom significantly affects the patient’s quality of life. It is possible that not only the limbs, but also the human torso will be affected by tremor. This occurs as a result of uncontrolled muscle contractions, which leads to the inability to carry out work and social activities.
Headache. Headache is a very common symptom of the disease. Scientists suggest that its occurrence is associated with muscle disorders and depression. It is with multiple sclerosis that headaches occur three times more often than with other neurological diseases. Sometimes it can act as a harbinger of an impending exacerbation of the disease or a sign of the onset of pathology. (

Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no medicine that would completely cure MS yet, but scientists around the world are actively working on it. The medications created to date allow patients to achieve stable remission.

Drugs taken for multiple sclerosis are conventionally divided into:

means for relieving acute conditions;
drugs to inhibit the development of MS;
medications intended to alleviate the condition of patients.

The course of medications is prescribed and adjusted if necessary by a neurologist.

Consequences of multiple sclerosis

If multiple sclerosis is initially characterized by a severe course, then the risk of death with impaired respiratory and cardiac function cannot be excluded.
Often the causes of death of patients are pneumonia, which is characterized by a severe course and replaces one another.
The occurrence of bedsores is another consequence of multiple sclerosis. They, in turn, can lead to severe sepsis, which causes the death of the patient. Seriously ill people who are immobilized for a long time are susceptible to bedsores and diaper rash.

Disability awaits all patients with multiple sclerosis, however, with proper therapy, it can be avoided for a long time.

Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis

Doctors use special diagnostic criteria to determine the disease:

The presence of signs of multiple focal lesions of the central nervous system - the white matter of the brain and spinal cord;
Progressive development of the disease with the gradual addition of various symptoms;
Instability of symptoms;
Progressive nature of the disease.

MRI of the brain and some parts of the spinal column can reveal the presence of foci of demyelination and detect their distribution. Most often they are localized near the ventricles of the brain, where its white matter is located. Priority is given to performing MRI with the introduction of a contrast agent, which makes it possible to more accurately identify lesions in which the blood-brain barrier is broken. This allows you to determine the activity of the inflammatory process at the time of the study.

Sometimes, to confirm the diagnosis, a spinal puncture and its biochemical and microscopic examination are required. The composition of the fluid changes during the disease; there is a moderate increase in the number of lymphocytes, while the number of erythrocytes remains normal - this can be seen from a microscopic examination.

The key point in the biochemical analysis of fluid is the determination of myelin and the degree of its activity. During an exacerbation of multiple sclerosis, its amount in the cerebrospinal fluid will increase, especially in the first 2 weeks from the onset of the acute phase of the disease.

It may be necessary to study the bioelectrical activity of the brain, study VEP, SSEP, auditory evoked potentials, audiometry and stabilography.

An ophthalmological examination is mandatory in the early stages of the disease.

Recommendations for combating the disease

Here are a few rules that should become companions for anyone who suffers from multiple sclerosis.

Avoid overheating by taking warm (not hot) showers. Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. In summer, your allies should be a wide-brimmed hat and a cold shower.

Adjust your diet: daily consumption of butter, sweet buns or cakes will lead to a re-attack of the disease. Try to keep your body weight stable.

Find out if any of your relatives aged 30-40 years suffer from hypertension, angina pectoris or other vascular diseases, and whether there have been early deaths from myocardial infarction or stroke in your family. In this case, you need to regularly monitor your serum lipid levels (or just cholesterol); More often include fruits, vegetables, olives, and river fish in your diet. Animal fats should be consumed significantly less than vegetable fats. Monitor your blood pressure and blood sugar levels regularly.

If possible, make your home comfortable: moving to the first floor is justified. Corridors should be cleared for wheelchair access. The walls of the apartment must be equipped with railings, in the toilet - with footrests, and in the bathroom - with a removable seat. In the kitchen, consider a comfortable place to work while sitting. It is useful to highlight a gymnastics corner in the apartment with a wall bars and mats.

Take care of your immune system: animal hair, bird feathers, and woolen carpets may contain allergens that provoke an exacerbation of multiple sclerosis. Flowering plants should not be grown at home. The apartment must be kept perfectly clean: in addition to a vacuum cleaner, wet cleaning of the premises is mandatory. Always keep some anti-allergy medication on hand.

Your home medicine cabinet in spring and fall must have interferon. A few drops of interferon in the nose in the first three hours after possible infection with a viral infection (ARVI) can prevent the disease. If someone in your family has ARVI, you should also use interferon for preventive purposes.

Answers to popular questions

How long do people live with multiple sclerosis? The patient’s life expectancy depends on the timeliness of starting therapy, the nature of the disease, and the presence of concomitant pathologies. If there is no therapy, the patient will not live more than 20 years from the date of diagnosis. When negative impact factors are minimized, the average human life expectancy is reduced by an average of 7 years compared to the life expectancy of a healthy person. In addition, life expectancy is influenced by the age at which the disease manifested. The older a person is, the higher the risk of rapid development of sclerosis and death during the first five years.
Is multiple sclerosis inherited? Multiple sclerosis is not considered a hereditary disease, although there is a tendency for it to run in families. Doctors explain this by the uniformity of provoking factors influencing the development of the disease in the same family.
Can you drink alcohol if you have multiple sclerosis? Bulgarian scientists conducted a study that found that light alcohol consumption has an anti-inflammatory effect in multiple sclerosis. However, doses are important in this regard. When intoxication occurs, patients have more pronounced coordination and speech disorders, and with alcohol abuse, the number of exacerbations of the disease increases. In addition, some doctors insist that the prognosis worsens even with small doses. Therefore, the question of the compatibility of alcohol and multiple sclerosis still remains open and each person makes his own decision.
Is it possible to take a steam bath if you have multiple sclerosis? No you can not. Any increase in body temperature (while in a bathhouse, during summer heat, during fever, etc.) leads to a deterioration in the patient’s condition and to disruption of nerve conduction. While visiting the bathhouse, the feeling of numbness in the limbs, fatigue, and tremors will increase. In addition, visual impairment worsens and cognitive abilities decrease. However, it is worth considering that the symptoms of the disease will decrease as the body temperature decreases. That is, being in a bathhouse will not lead to persistent organic lesions due to sclerosis.

Dr. Myasnikov about multiple sclerosis:

Average life expectancy after diagnosis

The main thing you should know about this disease is that it manifests itself before the age of fifty. And if its mild form is detected in a timely manner in children and adolescents, MS responds quite well to treatment, followed by stable remission.

If multiple sclerosis is diagnosed in time and the correct treatment is prescribed, the disease will not affect the child’s life expectancy, and he can then live as a completely healthy person.

Scientists are constantly developing new and improving existing drugs to combat the disease. In addition, the causes of sclerosis are constantly being studied. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, people suffering from this disease lived an average of twenty years. With the invention of drugs and drugs that change the course of MS, the lives of patients have increased, and in modern society every neurologist knows how to live for a patient with this pathology and how he can be helped.

According to statistics, the average life expectancy of a patient suffering from multiple sclerosis is about thirty-seven years. With the development of severe forms of this disease, it is reduced.

That is why the fight against complications is a top priority. Without therapy, multiple sclerosis is accompanied by serious disturbances in human consciousness. The patient experiences convulsions, mental disorders appear, and coordination of movements is impaired.

How many years a patient will live also depends on the characteristics of the body: some live longer, others less. The patient is often unable to care for his body, which is why skin ulcers and bedsores appear. Their occurrence is facilitated by bacteria that infect the cells and tissues of the body, so you need to take care of your body very carefully. Some manifestations of MS that arise as a result of complications often become causes of death - kidney failure, heart attack, and urinary tract infection.

Drugs and medicines for multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is currently considered incurable. However, people are shown symptomatic therapy, which can improve the patient’s quality of life. He is prescribed hormonal medications and drugs to enhance immunity. Sanatorium-resort treatment has a positive effect on the condition of such people. All these measures can increase the time of remission.

Treatment with hormonal drugs is carried out according to the pulse therapy scheme. That is, the patient is prescribed high dosages of medications for up to 5 days.
Taking corticosteroids is determined by the prescription of magnesium and potassium supplements. This may be Panangin and Asparkam.
To protect the gastrointestinal tract, Omeprazole, Omez, Ortanol, Losek, Ultop are prescribed.
It is possible to use an immunosuppressant - Mitoxantrone, which is prescribed for recurrent and intensively progressive forms of the disease.
To eliminate depression, Ixel, Paxil, Cipramil, Fluoxetine, as well as tranquilizers, for example, Fenosemap, are prescribed.
Detrusitol, Prozerin, Amitriptyline help cope with pelvic disorders.
Auxiliary means to reduce the symptoms of the disease include nootropic drugs, vitamins B and E, enterosorbents, and antioxidants.
A drug from the group of immunomodulators, Copaxone, helps reduce the number of exacerbations.
Drugs that help cope with pain include Lyrica, Gabapentin, Finlepsin.

Gliatilin for multiple sclerosis

This is a nootropic drug. It is able to have a direct effect on the central nervous system, accelerate the transmission of nerve impulses, improve the elasticity of membranes, and increase the functionality of receptors. In addition, Gliatilin increases cerebral blood flow and activates brain function. It is taken for the prevention and correction of the disease.

Contraindications to the prescription are individual intolerance to the components of the drug, breastfeeding and pregnancy. In the acute period, intramuscular administration of 1 ampoule per day is indicated. The course of therapy, as a rule, is 10 days, but it is possible to increase the duration of treatment if it is not possible to achieve positive dynamics at this time.

To prevent the disease, the drug is taken in the form of capsules, the dose is calculated by a doctor. The course of treatment can last up to six months.

Sermion for multiple sclerosis

Sermion is an alpha-blocker drug that helps improve cerebral and peripheral blood supply. During its long-term use, cognitive abilities noticeably improve and behavioral deviations decrease.

The drug is prescribed in a dosage of 30 mg twice a day, or 5-10 mg three times a day. Sermion is prescribed for a long term, which cannot be less than 3 months.

Previous myocardial infarction, acute bleeding, pregnancy, breastfeeding, age under 18 years and bradycardia are contraindications to prescribing the drug. If renal function is impaired, a dosage reduction is required.

Novantrone for multiple sclerosis

Novantrone is a drug prescribed for cancer. However, it is recommended for use in multiple sclerosis, as a drug that has a depressing effect on the immune system. As a result, it is possible to reduce the activity of the inflammatory process and reduce the symptoms of the disease. The drug is recommended for use in the rapidly deteriorating condition of the patient, as well as in the progressive-relapsing form of the disease.

The drug is administered intravenously once every 90 days, or up to 4 times a year. The maximum permissible number of doses is from 8 to 12.

Side effects from treatment with Novantrone are quite serious, including nausea, hair thinning, even hair loss, and a drop in the number of white blood cells in the blood.

In addition, the drug is prohibited for administration in case of gout, viral infections, diseased teeth, liver pathologies, during pregnancy and breastfeeding and some other diseases. It is worth considering that the drug suppresses the immune system, therefore increasing the risk of developing other infections. If your condition worsens, you should consult a doctor.

Abagio for multiple sclerosis

Abagio or teriflumonide is used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. This medication is taken orally every day. It belongs to the group of immunomodulators and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Possible side effects include nausea, diarrhea, liver problems, and hair loss. For multiple sclerosis, you should take 1 tablet per day. The course of treatment is determined by the doctor.

Prolips

Prolips is a purified bovine myelin protein. Its intake helps prevent autoimmune aggression of the body. Prolips is prescribed in a dosage of 150 mg, the frequency of administration is every 1 day. To prevent exacerbations of the disease, it must be taken throughout the year.

It is recommended to combine the drug with Omega 3 and Omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as with vitamin complexes that include B vitamins.

Author of the article:

Sokov Andrey Vladimirovich |
Neurologist Education: In 2005, she completed an internship at the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov and received a diploma in the specialty “Neurology”. In 2009, she completed her postgraduate studies in the specialty “Nervous Diseases”. Our authors

How to normalize muscle tone

Risk factors One of the complicating manifestations of multiple sclerosis is muscle spasms. Medicines recommended by a doctor or a specialist at a consultation center will help relieve and reduce them. However, it is useful to know what factors contribute to an increase or decrease in muscle spasms.

First of all, muscle spasms (spasticity) are maximized by psychoemotional overload, physical activity on the “interested” muscle groups, as well as smoking and drinking large quantities of coffee.

Prevention measures Good ways to reduce spasticity are yoga, auto-training, and swimming. A warm sitz bath can provide a quick effect to reduce the tone of the muscles of the lower extremities. Various swing exercises also help reduce tone. The most effective results can be achieved through regular swimming, but without excessive physical exertion. A twofold effect is manifested here: being in water, firstly, promotes relaxation, and secondly, has a moderate cold effect.

Regular exercise without significant physical activity not only helps normalize muscle tone, but also improves overall well-being. However, only those activities that are performed with pleasure and correspond to the individual’s individual capabilities will bring benefits. In addition to the selected set of physical exercises, experts recommend cycling or boating. The main thing is to beware of overwork, which can cause an exacerbation of the disease. Remember that the emphasis on treatment should be during remissions to prevent exacerbations.