Overview & Risk Factors

Multiple sclerosis is a mysterious, often frustrating disease. Learn what scientists know about MS -- what seems to trigger it, and its effect on the nervous system.

1. What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)? MS is a disease that can affect your brain and spinal cord, and can cause problems with vision, balance, muscle control.
2. How MS Progresses As you learn more about they type of MS you have, you'll have a clearer idea how it may affect you in the coming years.
3. Frequently Asked Questions About MS We answer some of the most common questions about MS.
4. Myelin Sheath MS can affect mylan sheaths, a part of the central nervous system.
5. Demyelinating Diseases MS is a disease that can affect myelin, the protective coating of the nerves.
Multiple Sclerosis Types
1. Understanding the Different Kinds of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) While MS is unique per person, there are a few major types of the disease.
2. Relapsing-Remitting MS Most people with MS have a type called relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) which usually starts in your 20s or 30s.
3. Secondary Progressive MS People with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) start out with another type of MS -- relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
4. Primary Progressive MS Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis is usually diagnosed later in life; symptoms include trouble with walking and balance.
5. Progressive Relapsing MS Progressive Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis is the least common type of MS; symptoms vary depending on the area of the brain affected.
6. Balo's Disease Most doctors think of Balo's disease as a rare form of MS.
7. Gender's Role in Primary Progressive MS Most forms of MS affects women twice as often as men. But Primary Progressive MS affects men and women in nearly equal numbers.
8. MS in Children MS happens most often in adults, but doctors are diagnosing more children and teenagers with the condition.
Multiple Sclerosis Causes & Risk Factors
1. Causes of Multiple Sclerosis It's still unclear what causes MS; factors from your genes to the environment come into play.
2. Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) and MS Risk When your body attacks your nervous system, it's often diagnosed as multiple sclerosis. But when it happens just one time, that's considered clinically isolated syndrome.
3. CIS versus MS: The Difference Explained Symptoms are similar, but with CIS, you get a single episode and that's it. MS is a life-long disease.

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