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Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nervous system disease that affects your brain and spinal cord. It damages the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects your nerve cells. This damage slows down or blocks messages between your brain and your body, leading to the symptoms of MS. They can include:
- Visual disturbances
- Muscle weakness
- Trouble with coordination and balance
- Sensations such as numbness, prickling, or "pins and needles"
- Thinking and memory problems
No one knows what causes MS. It may be an autoimmune disease, which happens when your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake. Multiple sclerosis affects women more than men. It often begins between the ages of 20 and 40. Usually, the disease is mild, but some people lose the ability to write, speak, or walk.
There is no specific test for MS. Doctors use a medical history, physical exam, neurological exam, MRI, and other tests to diagnose it. There is no cure for MS, but medicines may slow it down and help control symptoms. Physical and occupational therapy may also help.
NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Diagnosis and Tests
-
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Analysis
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
-
CSF Immunoglobulin G (IgG) Index
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- CSF oligoclonal banding - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Diagnosing MS (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
Treatments and Therapies
- Clear Thinking about Alternative Therapies (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Multiple Sclerosis (American Academy of Neurology) - PDF
-
Thunder God Vine
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
- Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs in MS: An Introduction (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
Living With
- Comprehensive Care (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Diet & Nutrition (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Dressing with Ease, Style, and Comfort (ALS Association)
- Exercise (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Living with Advanced MS: Advanced Care Needs (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
-
Managing Multiple Sclerosis: Treatment Can Delay Future Attacks
(National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
-
Mobility Aids: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Rehabilitation in Managing MS (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Staying Mobile (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Staying Well (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Work and Home (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
Related Issues
- "But You Look So Good!": Managing Specific Issues (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
- At Home with MS: Adapting Your Environment (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
- Dental Health: The Basic Facts (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Depression and Multiple Sclerosis (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Emotional Disorders in People with Multiple Sclerosis (American Academy of Neurology) - PDF
- Gait or Walking Problems (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
- Guide for Caregivers (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Hepatitis B Vaccine and Multiple Sclerosis FAQs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- MS in Your Relationships (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and the Black Community (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
- Multiple Sclerosis: Can It Cause Seizures? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
-
Myoclonus
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
-
Neuromyelitis Optica
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
- Preventive Care Recommendations for Adults with MS (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
-
Spasticity
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
Specifics
- Primary-Progressive MS (PPMS) (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Progressive-Relapsing MS (PRMS) (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
-
Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS)
(National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
-
Schilder's Disease
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
- Secondary-Progressive MS (SPMS) (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
Genetics
-
Multiple sclerosis: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
Statistics and Research
- Research News (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
-
Shaking Out Clues to Autoimmune Disease
(National Institutes of Health)
-
Technique Selectively Represses Immune System
(National Institutes of Health)
- Vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Is There Any Connection? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
-
Vitamin D Levels Predict Multiple Sclerosis Progression
(National Institutes of Health)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Multiple Sclerosis
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: MWF of the corpus callosum is a robust measure of remyelination:...
- Article: Ocrelizumab-treated patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis show volume loss rates similar...
- Article: Effect of Ocrelizumab on B- and T-Cell Receptor Repertoire Diversity in...
- Multiple Sclerosis -- see more articles
Find an Expert
Children
- Multiple Sclerosis (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
- Pediatric MS (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
Women
- Pregnancy and Reproductive Issues (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
Patient Handouts
- Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) collection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- CSF oligoclonal banding (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Daily bowel care program (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Multiple sclerosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Multiple sclerosis - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish