By Yemisi Adegoke
Singer Zara Gretti born Mary Margaret Joseph tragically passed away on March 28th after losing her two-year battle with multiple sclerosis.
The 28 year old was vocal about her painful struggle with the disease and during the last days of her life shared some poignant tweets about the severity of her condition.
But what is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis also known as MS is a condition that affects the central nervous system, “the coating of nerve fibres (called myelin) is damaged causing a range of symptoms.” This coating allows messages to travel easily between the brain and the rest of the body, when it is damaged messages to the brain can become distorted, slowed or not get through.
Who is affected by it?
MS affects women three times more than it does men with sufferers usually starting to show symptoms between their 20s and 40s.
Causes
Doctors and researchers are yet to find an exact cause for MS but they have identified certain risk factors such as family history.
Symptoms
Symptoms of MS vary and affect sufferers in different ways, some of the most common include:
Extreme fatigue
Vision problems ( blurred vision, colour blindness, eye pain)
Mobility issues ( balance problems, dizziness, vertigo)
Strange sensations ( tingling or numbness in different body parts)
Muscle weakness
Diagnosis
To get a diagnosis a series of medical tests must be conducted, this can include: blood tests, a spinal tap or an MRI.
Treatment
Sadly there is no cure for MS, but there are a range of treatments and therapies to help sufferers cope with symptoms and to slow progress of the disease. Physical therapy, including stretching and strengthening exercises can help ease symptoms. There are a range of medicines that can treat flare ups which can be prescribed on the advice of a doctor. Researchers are continuing to investigate the use of stem cell transplants, which sees the body injected with healthy stem cells to replace diseased ones. Lifestyle changes are also encouraged to help sufferers cope, eating well, getting plenty of rest and exercising are often suggested as ways to relieve some symptoms.
Support
MS is a chronic disease and sufferers may find themselves emotionally drained and at times depressed, it’s important to have a strong support system and to try and live as normally as possible. In some cases a counselor or therapist may help, joining or setting up a support group may also be of use to people as they can share and learn coping strategies from one another.
For more information on MS: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Definition-of-MS
Image: https://pbs.twimg.com/
Sources: mayoclinic.com, nhs direct