Overview Symptoms Causes

Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Disrupted nerve signals cause the symptoms of MS, which vary from one person to another and over time for any given individual, depending on where and when the damage occurs. 

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What are the symptoms?

  • Fatigue

    Extreme tiredness, exhaustion

  • Numbness or Tingling

    Numbness or tingling in the extremities

  • Weakness

    Muscle weakness

  • Dizziness & Vertigo

    Feeling dizzy, tunnel vision

  • Pain

    Widespread pain

What is multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects your brain and spinal cord, so before we can understand MS it’s best to learn a little about the layout of the nervous system. ...

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Embryonic Stem Cells Offer Promising Treatment For Multiple Sclerosis

Scientists in the University of Connecticut’s Technology Incubation Program have identified a novel approach to treating multiple sclerosis (MS) using human embryonic stem cells, offering a promising new therapy for more than 2.3 million people suffering from the debilitating disease. ...

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Sleep Apnea May Contribute To Fatigue In Multiple Sclerosis

The fatigue that many people with multiple sclerosis feel is often written off as just being part of the territory of their chronic neurological condition. ...

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What causes it?

Multiple sclerosis is caused by an autoimmune response, which causes myelin coating around the nerve fibers in the central nervous system (CNS).

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Autoimmune response

Autoimmune response

Genetics

Genetics

Is there a test?

  • Blood tests

    Blood test to rule out other diseases, such as Lyme or Lupus

  • MRI

    Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain

  • Spinal tap

    Analyze spinal fluid to rule out other conditions and check protein levels, white blood cell count

How to treat it

Vitamin D Can Help Slow Progression Of Early-Stage Multiple Sclerosis

For patients in the early stages of multiple sclerosis, low levels of vitamin D were found to strongly predict disease severity and hasten its progression, according to a new study, suggesting that patients in the early stages of MS could stave off disease symptoms by increasing their vitamin D intake....

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Marijuana Compound Shows Promise In The Fight Against Multiple Sclerosis

A new study, led by Tel Aviv University's Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Center for the Biology of Addictive Diseases and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, reveals that some of the chemical compounds found in marijuana can help treat MS-like diseases in mice. ...

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