Brazilian actor Alexander Nero learns about Multiple Sclerosis for a project

Bringing awareness to MS

Portuguese actor Alexandre Nero recently took on a role of a man living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The film The Rules of the Game (A Regra do Jogo) not only tells the story of one man suffering from this disease, but also brings awareness to MS, which affects about 30,000 Brazilians, says this article. It is a chronic autoimmune disease, causing the body to fight against itself leave the brain and spinal cord damaged.

What are some signs of MS?

It is believed that Caucasians are more likely to have MS. In Germany, 200 out of every 100,000 has MS, while 5 of 100,000 people suffer in Bahia. This disease manifests itself in different ways, but some common symptoms are visual impairment, fatigue, tingling, loss of strength, lack of balance, muscle spasms, chronic pain, depression, urinary incontinence, and sexual problems. Some people suffer mild symptoms, while others experience severe discomfort.

If you feel you may be suffering from any of these problems, contact your doctor.

Can it be treated?

The progression of a patient’s MS is measured by the degree of physical disability using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), which which uses eight functional systems for classification: pyramidal, cerebellar, brain stream, sensory, bowel and bladder, visual, cerebral, and others. This scale is ranked from 0-10. Zero is a normal neurological exam, while 10 is a completely incapacitated patient, who is unable to eat or swallow.

With the invention of new technology, more and more treatments are coming to the market. Sufferers from MS can live a life with very little interference from the disease, but it is important to monitor the patient for potential negative side effects. There are some treatments that work in conjunction with traditional therapies.