Reader TTS

Minneapolis VA is a Multiple Sclerosis Regional Program partner in the VA Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence Program. EDUCATION: MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS WHAT IS MS? "Multiple sclerosis

is a disease of the brain and spinal cord. The brain is the body’s control center. Each part of the brain controls specific functions. These include movement, balance, sensation, and

reasoning. The brain controls these functions by sending and receiving messages through nerves. Nerves have a protective covering (myelin). With MS, the myelin on nerves in the brain and

spinal cord is damaged. The loss of this covering causes messages traveling along affected nerves to slow or stop. This results in MS symptoms." From Veterans Health Library - 

Understanding Multiple Sclerosis (MS) WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MS? There are two types of multiple sclerosis – relapsing-remitting and progressive – which a patient could have when

the disease begins. Additionally, a patient with relapsing-remitting MS may develop progressive MS. * RELAPSING-REMITTING: This type of MS is characterized by clearly defined attacks of new 

or increasing neurologic symptoms. They are called attacks because the symptoms occur during a defined time period followed by a period of remission. During remission, symptoms may disappear

completely. However for some patients, symptoms that are experienced during an attack may remain, even during periods of remission. In relapsing-remitting MS, there is no progression of

disease (the disease doesn't get worse) during remission.  * PROGRESSIVE: This type of MS is characterized by a slow decline or worsening neurologic function (accumulation of

disability) from the start of their symptoms. A patient may start with relapsing and remitting MS which then becomes progressive. This is known as secondary progressive. In other cases, a

patient may never have relapsing or remitting periods. This is called primary progressive. ARE THERE CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO MS? CLINICALLY ISOLATED SYNDROME, SINGLE ATTACK. In this case

multiple sclerosis is not diagnosed. In this condition a patient may experience neurologic symptoms for at least 24 hours affecting their nerves. This can happen to one area of the body or

multiple areas of the body, such as numbness in the arm, or numbness in the arm and leg on one side of the body. * MONOFOCAL: A person will experience a single neurologic symptom, like arm

numbness. This is caused by a single lesion in the Central Nervous System. Another example would be optic neuritis which is describes as eye pain, specifically with eye movements. *

MULTIFOCAL: A person will experience multiple neurologic symptoms at the same time. This would look like several areas of the body being affects such as arm and leg numbness during an

attack.