More about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that impacts the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves, which make up the central nervous system and controls everything we do. The exact cause of MS is unknown, but we do know that something triggers the immune system to attack the CNS. The resulting damage to myelin, the protective layer insulating wire-like nerve fibers, disrupts signals to and from the brain. This interruption of communication signals causes unpredictable symptoms such as numbness, tingling, mood changes, memory problems, pain, fatigue, blindness and/or paralysis. Everyone’s experience with MS is different and these losses may be temporary or long lasting.

Types

Types of MS include:

Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) – CIS is a pre-MS condition involving 1 episode of symptoms lasting at least 24 hours. These symptoms are due to demyelination in your CNS. Although this episode is characteristic of MS, it’s not enough to prompt a diagnosis. If there’s more than one lesion or positive oligoclonal band (OCB) in your spinal fluid at the time of a spinal tap, you’re more likely to receive a diagnosis of RRMS. If these lesions aren’t present or your spinal fluid doesn’t show OCBs, you’re less likely to receive an MS diagnosis.
Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS) – Relapsing-Remitting MS involves clear relapses of disease activity followed by remissions. During remission periods, symptoms are mild or absent, and there’s mild to moderate disease progression. RRMS is the most common form of MS at onset and accounts for about 85 percent of all cases, according to NMSS.
Primary Progressive MS (PPMS) – If you have Primary Progressive MS, neurological function becomes progressively worse from the onset of your symptoms. However, short periods of stability can occur. The terms “active” and “not active” are sometimes used to describe disease activity with new or enhancing brain lesions.
Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) – Secondary Progressive MS occurs when RRMS transitions into the progressive form. You may still have noticeable relapses in addition to disability or gradual worsening of function.

The bottom line: Your MS may change and evolve — for example, going from RRMS to SPMS. You can only have one type of MS at a time, but knowing when you transition to a progressive form of MS may be difficult to pinpoint.

Symptoms

People with MS experience a wide range of symptoms. Due to the nature of the disease, symptoms can vary widely from person to person. They can also change in severity from year to year, month to month, and even day to day.

Some of the most common symptoms associated with MS:

Fatigue – Around 80 percent of people with MS report having fatigue, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Fatigue that occurs with MS can make it harder for you to go about your everyday tasks.
Difficulty walking
Vision problems – Vision problems are often some of the first symptoms for many people with MS. Vision problems may affect one or both eyes. These issues may come and go, or get worse over time. They can also resolve entirely.
Speech issues (dysarthria) – MS causes lesions in the brain that can affect speech. These speech issues, also known as dysarthria, can range from mild to severe.