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Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week

March 12-18, 2012

Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease affecting 400,000 Americans, with one new diagnosis taking place every hour.

During this awareness week, Vitals aims to raise people’s understanding of the disease and to assist those with MS gain the information they need to make better decisions.

What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system (the brain, nerves, and spinal cord) in which a person’s immune system attacks the myelin, or protective tissue surrounding the nerve fibers. This loss of myelin causes interference in the transmission of nerve signals.

What are the symptoms of MS?

MS affects different people in different ways. While one person may experience all of the below symptoms on a consistent basis, another person may experience only some of the symptoms with periods of recovery and remission.

Additional Resources

Symptoms of MS include:

Blurred vision
Loss of balance
Poor coordination
Slurred speech
Tremors
Numbness

Extreme fatigue
Memory and concentration deficiencies
Blindness
Stiffness
Partial or complete paralysis
Bladder problems

Who typically develops MS?

MS affects approximately 400,000 people in the US, and about 2.1 million people worldwide. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50.

Anyone can develop MS, but it occurs far more often in women than men, and in Caucasians and people of Northern European ancestry more than other ethnic groups.

For more information on the different types of MS, how to prepare for an MS doctor visit, treatment options, and the team of doctors who treat the disease, visit the Vitals Multiple Sclerosis Patient Guide

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