A Simple Guide to Multiple Sclerosis (Updated), Diagnosis, Treatment and Related Conditions

By Kenneth Kee

This book describes Multiple Sclerosis (Updated), Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases

Multiple Sclerosis is a progressive degenerative disease
That occurs in the nervous system of people of 20-30 ages
The cause is unknown but may be autoimmune due to infection
Multiple sclerosis results in the body nerve cell myelin destruction

There is diplopia and the impairment of vision
There is weakness of the muscles and poor coordination
There is vertigo, hearing loss and paresthesia
Damage to the facial nerve can result in facial paresis

Diagnosis is also based on the patient’s physical development
There is evidence of peripheral nerve involvement
Cerebral spinal fluid may show mild mononuclear pleocytosis
MRI search for changes within the brain peculiar to multiple sclerosis

Treatment is usually not a cure but suppression of symptoms
Glatiramer, Natalizumab and Fingolimod are the main medications
Supportive measures are bed rest, proper diet and speech therapy
There is rarely need for any surgical therapy

-An original poem by Kenneth Kee

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a progressive degenerative disease of the central nervous system with recurrent episodes of neurological dysfunction disconnected in time and space and associated with evidence of demyelization of the central nervous system.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disorder that induces the body’s immune response to attack the central nervous system.

It affects the patient in different areas of the nervous system at different points in time.

Multiple sclerosis is classified with other autoimmune diseases, but it is also a neurological disorder since the central nervous system is the focus of the inflammatory immune response.

With multiple sclerosis, the immune system assaults the nerve sheath called myelin, which is supposed to protect the nerve cells.

When a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself, it can cause debilitating symptoms.

Multiple Sclerosis is not curable but can be suppressed.

Treatment normally focuses on:
1. Speeding recovery from attacks,
2. Slowing the progression of the disease and
3. Managing MS symptoms.

Some people have such mild symptoms that no treatment is needed.

Treatment of the symptoms of MS involves both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic measures.
a. Fatigue: Off-label treatments are amantadine, methylphenidate and fluoxetine
b. Depression: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are favored
c. Spasticity: Baclofen is effective in most cases
d. Pain: Tricyclic antidepressants are first-line drugs for primary pain
e. Sexual dysfunction: Oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (e.g., sildenafil, tadalafil)
f. Muscle relaxant such as baclofen to reduce muscle spasm and stiffness
g. Optic neuritis: Intravenous methylprednisolone may speed recovery

Multiple Sclerosis often react well to medicine that suppress the immune system’s response.

These immunosuppressive treatments have able to help people with MS to live a relatively happy healthy life.

Doctors have been trying to develop a vaccine for MS that does not weaken the immune system without much success.

Production of the COVID-19 vaccine using mRNA have indicated a vaccine for MS using mRNA technology to treat MS.

This gives hope to people with MS for a symptom-free future.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Multiple Sclerosis (Updated)
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis
Chapter 5 Treatment
Chapter 6 Prognosis
Chapter 7 Updates in Multiple Sclerosis
Chapter 8 Myasthenia Gravis
Epilogue

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Jun 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005594015

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

A

Simple

Guide

To

Multiple Sclerosis (Updated),

Diagnosis,

Treatment

And

Related Conditions

By

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2021 Smashwords Edition

Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To my wife Dorothy

And my children

Carolyn, Grace

And Kelvin

This book describes Multiple Sclerosis (Updated), Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases which is seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic.

(What You Need to Treat Multiple Sclerosis)

This e-Book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

I have been writing medical articles for my blog: http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Disorder) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.

My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.

Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).

I then wrote an autobiography account of my journey as a medical student to family doctor on my other blog: http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.

This autobiography account A Family Doctor’s Tale was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale on http://kenkee481.wordpress.com.

From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 800 eBooks.

Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.

For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.

The later books go into more details of medical disorders.

The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.

Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.

As I tried to bring the patient the latest information about a disorder or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.

My diagnosis and treatment capability has improved tremendously from my continued education.

Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.

I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.

I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily.

I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.

Chapter 1

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is a progressive degenerative disease

That occurs in the nervous system of people of 20-30 ages

The cause is unknown but may be autoimmune due to infection

Multiple sclerosis results in the body nerve cell myelin destruction

There is diplopia and the impairment of vision

There is weakness of the muscles and poor coordination

There is vertigo, hearing loss and paresthesia

Damage to the facial nerve can result in facial paresis

Diagnosis is also based on the patient’s physical development

There is evidence of peripheral nerve involvement

Cerebral spinal fluid may show mild mononuclear pleocytosis

MRI search for changes within the brain peculiar to multiple sclerosis

Treatment is usually not a cure but suppression of symptoms

Glatiramer, Natalizumab and Fingolimod are the main medications

Supportive measures are bed rest, proper diet and speech therapy

There is rarely need for any surgical therapy

-An original poem by Kenneth Kee

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a progressive degenerative disease of the central nervous system with recurrent episodes of neurological dysfunction disconnected in time and space and associated with evidence of demyelization of the central nervous system.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disorder that induces the body’s immune response to attack the central nervous system.

It affects the patient in different areas of the nervous system at different points in time.

Multiple sclerosis is classified with other autoimmune diseases, but it is also a neurological disorder since the central nervous system is the focus of the inflammatory immune response.

With multiple sclerosis, the immune system assaults the nerve sheath called myelin, which is supposed to protect the nerve cells.

When a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself, it can cause debilitating symptoms.

Anybody can develop multiple sclerosis, but it seems to be more frequent in Northern Europeans.

People of Asian, African or Native American descent have the least risk.

What causes Multiple Sclerosis?

Causes

The precise cause is not known but believed to be linked to an auto immune disease resulting from a viral infection.

Medical doctors know more about MS now than they did when they first described the diagnostic criteria but this disease is an incredibly complicated and difficult disorder to diagnose and treat.

Multiple sclerosis causes destruction of the myelin surrounding the nerves of the CNS.

The destruction is believed to be due to the body's immune system attacking the myelin sheath disrupting the transmission of signal in the CNS and cause the symptoms seen in multiple sclerosis.

1. In multiple sclerosis, there are multiple scattered graying well defined lesions from few small mm to few cm in size present in the white matter and expanding to the grey matter of the brain.

2 .The lesions differ from partial to complete destruction of the myelin sheath with comparative sparing of the axon, glib and other structure.

Who is at risk of Multiple Sclerosis?

People with MS often start having symptoms in their early adult years, from around ages 20 to 40.

Women are affected 2 times more than men.

Triggers that can cause the start of MS are:

1. Infections including Epstein-Barr, the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis.

2. Trauma

3. Surgery

4. Emotional upset,

5. Stress

6. Pregnancy

7. Low levels of vitamin D and low exposure to sunlight is associated with a greater risk of MS.

8. Patients who smokes have an first event of symptoms that may signal MS are more likely than nonsmokers to develop a second event that confirms relapsing-remitting MS

9. Certain autoimmune disorders such as thyroid disease, pernicious anemia, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease can induce a higher risk of MS

In recent years, doctors have discovered that MS normally follows