1. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Medical Surgical Nursing
Neurological Systems

2. What Is Multiple Sclerosis?
• Is a chronic inflammatory disease of the Central Nervous System in
which the immune cells attack the myelin sheath of nerve cell
axons.

3. What causes MS?
• MS is caused by damage to the myelin sheath,, the protecting
covering that surrounds nerve cells.
• The nerve damage is caused by inflammation.
• Inflammation occurs when the body’s own immune cells attack the
nervous system.

4. What are some symptoms of MS?
• Symptoms vary, because the location and severity of each attack
can be different.
• These episodes alternate with periods of reduced or no
symptoms.(Remission)
• Fever, hot baths, sun exposure, and stress can trigger or worsen
attacks.

5. Different types of symptoms
• Muscle Symptoms
• Bowel and Bladder Symptoms
• Eye Symptoms
• Speech and Swallowing Symptoms

6. Muscle Symptoms
• Loss of Balance
• Muscle Spasms
• Numbness or Abnormal Sensation in any area
• Problems Moving arms or legs
• Problem Walking

7. Bowel && Bladder Symptoms
• Constipation and Stool Leakage
• Difficulty Beginning To Urinate
• Frequent Need To Urinate
• Strong Urge To Urinate
• Urine Leakage

8. Eye Symptoms
• Double Vision
• Eye Discomfort
• Uncontrollable Rapid Eye Movements
• Vision Loss

9. Speech && Swallowing Symptoms
• Slurred or Difficult to understand speech
• Trouble chewing and swallowing.

10. Treatment
• There is no known cure for MS at this time.
• The goal of treatment is to control symptoms and help you maintain
a normal quality of life.

11. Signs & Tests of MS
• Signs • Test
• Decreased ability to move a part of • Lumbar puncture (Spinal tap) for
the body cerebrospinal fluid test
• Changes in the visual fields or eye • MRI scan of the brain & MRI scan of
symptoms the spine
• Rapid eye movements triggered when • Nerve function study (evoked
the eye moves potential test)

12. Medications
• Medications used to slow the progression of MS are taken on a
long-term basis
• They include
• Interferon's (Avonex, Betaseron, or Rebif)
• Glatiramer Acetate (Copaxone)
• Mitoxantrone (Novantrone)