Consumer Information: Multiple Sclerosis
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) disrupts communication between the brain and other parts of the body. In the worst cases, it can bring partial or complete paralysis. Researchers don't yet know what causes this disease or how to cure it, but they've been making progress on both fronts. Symptoms of MS arise most often between the ages of 20 and 40. It often begins with blurred or double vision, color distortion, or even blindness in one eye. It can cause muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness or tingling, and difficulty with coordination and balance. MS can bring many other symptoms as well. [READ MORE]
NINDS Multiple Sclerosis Inforamtion Page. An unpredictable disease of the central nervous system, multiple sclerosis (MS) can range from relatively benign to somewhat disabling to devastating, as communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted. Many investigators believe MS to be an autoimmune disease -- one in which the body, through its immune system, launches a defensive attack against its own tissues. In the case of MS, it is the nerve-insulating myelin that comes under assault. Such assaults may be linked to an unknown environmental trigger, perhaps a virus. [READ MORE]
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The National MS Society is a collective of passionate individuals who want to do something about MS now-to move together toward a world free of multiple sclerosis. MS stops people from moving. We exist to make sure it doesn't. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS through our 50-state network of chapters. The Society helps people affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, and providing programs and services that help people with MS and their families move their lives forward.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society of America. The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life for everyone affected by multiple sclerosis. MSAA provides ongoing support and direct services to these individuals with MS and the people close to them. MSAA also serves to promote greater understanding of the needs and challenges of those who face physical obstacles.
- fatigue
- visual disorders
- numbness
- dizziness/vertigo
- bladder and bowel dysfunction
- weakness
- tremor
- impaired mobility
- sexual dysfunction
- slurred speech
- spasticity (leg stiffness)
- swallowing disorders
- chronic aching pain
- depression
- mild cognitive and memory difficulties