{"id":28696,"date":"2020-03-20T16:00:49","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T16:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/?p=28696"},"modified":"2020-03-19T16:52:08","modified_gmt":"2020-03-19T16:52:08","slug":"march-is-national-ms-month-what-to-know-about-ms-and-ed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/erectile-dysfunction\/viagra\/march-is-national-ms-month-what-to-know-about-ms-and-ed\/","title":{"rendered":"March Is National MS Month: What to Know About MS and ED"},"content":{"rendered":"

Men with multiple sclerosis face an increased risk of developing erectile dysfunction, a common side effect of chronic neurological disease. MS can also lead to other manifestations of sexual dysfunction in men and women.<\/em><\/p>\n

Introduction<\/h3>\n

National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness & Education Month is observed each March. Begun in 2003, the observance is an initiative of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation<\/a> and affiliated groups. It\u2019s designed to increase public awareness of the disease, which affects nearly 1 million Americans, according to a 2017 study.<\/p>\n

That makes March the perfect time to learn a bit more about this widespread neurological disease and its effects. This blog post will explore MS and who is most likely to be diagnosed with the disease. It will also look closely at the connection between MS and erectile dysfunction, the inability to get and keep an erection suitable for intercourse.<\/p>\n

What Is MS?<\/h3>\n

The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation defines MS as \u201ca chronic neurological condition that affects the central nervous system, which is comprised of the brain and spinal cord.\u201d Facilitating communication between one part of the CNS and others are nerve fibers known as axons, which are covered by a protective coating called myelin.<\/p>\n

In MS, an overactive immune system causes widespread inflammation that eventually damages the myelin that coats nerve fibers. Over time, this inflammation essentially wears away the myelin coating in multiple locations. In the process, the axons beneath the protective coating of myelin can also be damaged.<\/p>\n

The body responds to this damage by building up scar tissue at the sites of myelin loss. This process is referred to as sclerosis, which is an abnormal hardening of body tissue. These multiple areas of sclerosis interfere with normal communications between the brain and other parts of the CNS.<\/p>\n

What Causes MS?<\/h3>\n

Nobody really knows the root cause of MS, although the consensus among medical professionals is that the disease is the result of several factors. As a result, studies are ongoing that look at four primary areas of interest, according to the MS Foundation. These are immunologic reactions, viral or infectious agents, environmental factors, and genetic fibers.<\/p>\n

Who Is Most Susceptible to MS?<\/h3>\n

While MS can occur in people of any age, gender, or ethnic background, certain groups have a higher risk of developing the disease. It is more common in women than in men and occurs more widely in Caucasians than in African Americans and Hispanics. It\u2019s most often diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 and 40.<\/p>\n

While the overall risk of MS is relatively low, those who have a history of the disease in their immediate family, particularly in a parent or sibling, have a slightly higher risk than the general population.<\/p>\n

MS also seems to have a geographic bias toward areas farther from the Equator, according to the MS Foundation. The incidence of MS is far greater among people living north of the 37th parallel, roughly twice that of those who live in the Southern United States.<\/p>\n

MS and Sexual Dysfunction<\/h3>\n

The Cleveland Clinic<\/a> cites a survey of 5,868 MS patients showing that 67.2 percent of respondents reported that symptoms of sexual dysfunction were present always or almost always during the previous six months. A clinical sample from the Cleveland Clinic\u2019s Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis indicated 60 percent of patients reported some form of sexual dysfunction.<\/p>\n

Among men, the most common forms of sexual dysfunction were ED, genital numbness, a loss of sexual confidence, and orgasmic dysfunction. Among women with MS, the most common complaints were orgasmic dysfunction, loss of libido, genital numbness, and lack of adequate lubrication.<\/p>\n

\"Multiple
A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis could also signal the likelihood that you\u2019ll experience symptoms of sexual dysfunction as well.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Factors to Consider<\/h3>\n

In an article posted at VeryWellHealth.com<\/a>, Julie Stachowiak, author of The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, lists a number of factors that should be taken into consideration when diagnosing ED in men with MS.<\/p>\n