Multiple Sclerosis is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. It is a lifelong condition that can cause problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation and balance. For some individuals, it can cause serious disability.
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis can vary from person to person, and can affect any part of the body.
The most common symptoms include:
Over time, these symptoms may come and go in phases or get increasingly worse. However, it is dependent on the type of MS you have.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune condition, which essentially means that the immune system attacks the layer that surrounds and protects the nerves called the myelin sheath.
This results in the sheath and potentially the underlying nerves being damaged or scarred, meaning that messages travelling along the nerves become slowed or disrupted.
It is still unclear what causes the immune system to attack the myelin sheath, but some experts think that it is a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
At the moment, there is no cure for MS but there are a number of treatments that can help control the condition. The treatment is dependent on the specific symptoms and difficulties that you might have.