Multiple Sclerosis: 10 Facts You Need to Know

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society,

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.

Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

Did You Know?

People with MS may experience different signs and symptoms that vary, depending on a number of factors, such as the location of the affected nerve fibers. Some of the more common symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis include (but are not limited to):

• Partial or complete loss of vision
• Double vision or blurring of vision
• Tingling or pain in parts of the body
• Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait
• Slurred speech
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

[source]

10 Facts About Multiple Sclerosis

1. MS is generally believed to be an autoimmune disease. [source]
2. While the exact cause of MS remains unknown, some data suggest that a common virus or other infectious agent may play a role in the cause of MS. [source]
3. MS is not contagious or directly inherited [source]
4. MS can be difficult to diagnose. Since there is no single test for MS, the diagnosis can be missed, delayed or even incorrect.[source]
5. MS is not a “reportable” disease, which means that the government does not require physicians to inform any central database when they make the diagnosis.[source]
6. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, although MS can occur in young children and significantly older adults. [source]
7. The most commonly used scale to measure mobility and other areas affected by MS is the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). [source]
8. MS is neither contagious nor fatal. People with MS have a life expectancy that is not really any different from the general population. [source]
9. MS is neither contagious nor fatal. [source]
10. The most common types of MS are: relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS); secondary-progressive MS (SPMS); primary-progressive MS (PPMS); and progressive-relapsing MS (PRMS). [source]

Other Multiple Sclerosis Resources:

• Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (MSF)
• National Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA)