MS typically begins in early adulthood and symptoms vary from person to person. MS occurs in women twice as often as in men. Although it is most commonly diagnosed in those between the ages of 20 and 50 years, it is occasionally diagnosed in children and older persons.

Most cases are found in people living in areas farthest from the equator. But some groups living in these geographic locations, such as the Japanese, have an even lower incidence of the disease than other groups in the same areas.

MS occurs in all ethnic groups but is most common in Caucasians, especially those from northern Europe, southern Australia, and the middle part of North America. Although researchers have not pinpointed a reason for this geographic preference, genetic factors and environmental conditions are likely factors. While the number of people diagnosed with MS has remained stable, it has been increasing in some geographic areas and decreasing in others.

The average age of onset is 28 and the average age of diagnosis is 33. However, the gap between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis is shortening. This is due, in part, to greater awareness of the disease and improved diagnosis. Most people with Multiple Sclerosis are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40.

Multiple sclerosis is not contagious. You cannot "catch" Multiple Sclerosis. Studies indicate that genetic factors may make certain individuals more susceptible to the disease, but there is no evidence that Multiple Sclerosis is directly inherited.

Multiple Sclerosis is not a fatal disease~ however it it a chronic progressive disease and although the life span is not significantly affected by multiple sclerosis, the unpredictable physical and emotional effects of multiple sclerosis can be lifelong.

There is no cure for MS however there are treatments which can modify the course of the disease to slow the progression.

There are numerous symptoms associated with MS. Not all people experience the same symptoms.

Quite often MS symptoms mimic those of other conditions or diseases which is why it sometimes takes so much time for a diagnosis. A lot of ruling other things out.

Problems with walking (gait) and balance are common in people with MS. In 13% of people diagnosed with MS, these problems are the first signs of the disease. About half of people with progressive disease report shaky movements, unsteady gait or intention tremors, or uncontrollable shaking when trying to touch a target. Muscle weakness, numbness, dizziness, and vision problems can all contribute to problems with balance and coordination.

People with balance problems may or may not have dizziness. Sometimes people become dizzy when they change their position, such as when first standing up. Such episodes of dizziness may make people with MS feel nauseated or cause them to fall.

Balance problems without dizziness tend to be more constant, causing people with MS to sway or stagger while walking. Coordination problems and shaking tremors may affect the hands or feet, causing clumsiness.

When the nerve pathways to muscles are disrupted, movement can become stiff and slow. The control of movement relies on a delicate balance between muscles contracting and relaxing. In spasticity, there is an increase in muscle tone, and certain muscle groups tend to be more affected than others. This is an initial symptom in 30 to 40 percent of people diagnosed with MS. It occurs in 60 percent of people with progressive disease. People with spasticity complain of heaviness, stiffness, and pain in the arms and legs. Muscles feel tight and limb movements are slower. Over time, range of motion can be lost and spasms can also occur. It requires more work and energy to walk and perform everyday activities.

Vision problems are caused by damage to the myelin surrounding the nerves that supply the eyes (optic nerves). It is the first symptom in 15 to 20 percent of people diagnosed with MS. It rarely involves both eyes at the same time, but can appear on one side followed by the other. Eye problems usually begin with blurred vision, followed by vision loss in one spot. Sometimes the entire field of vision is affected.

Common vision complaints include: Dimming of vision

Decrease in clear vision (visual acuity)

Poor light contrast Problems distinguishing colors

Jerky eye movements (nystagmus) Pain that is aggravated by eye movement

Some people experience vision problems after exercise, which is caused by a sudden increase in body temperature (a type of Uthoff's phenomenon, meaning a rise in body temperature during exercise, a hot shower, or another activity, causes vision problems). Vision usually returns to normal once the body has cooled down. It may take a while for vision to return to normal. It is not uncommon for people to have one attack of optic neuritis and be diagnosed with MS many years later. Twenty percent of people who have vision problems develop a "definite" diagnosis of MS within two years and 45 to 80 percent within 15 years.

Fatigue is the single most common complaint in people with MS. It is often one of the most debilitating of all possible symptoms. It occurs in as many as 80 percent of people with MS and interferes with most activities of daily living. Fatigue can be associated with an increase in activity, but it can also appear without cause. Although most people look normal during episodes of fatigue, they feel unusually exhausted. Fatigue generally surfaces late in the afternoon when body and outside temperatures rise. It often subsides in the evening when temperatures fall. It can also occur after periods of intense activity, such as after a long walk, and is often relieved by a cooling down period and rest. Sometimes, low energy in MS patients can be due to depression, which needs to be treated differently than does fatigue.

Symptoms that affect sensation are often the first to appear. Numb, tingling, tickly, itchy, or tight-band feelings occur because the myelin in the nerves responsible for the sensory pathways from the spinal cord and brain are damaged. These complaints occur in 20 to 55 percent of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Numbness may be experienced on the surface of the skin, including the face. There may be a decreased sensitivity to light touch or a pinprick, or it may be much deeper, such as the inability to feel a toe or a finger being moved. People with MS often describe a feeling similar to a belt being tightened around the arms, legs, or trunk. Another complaint is that of an electrical sensation that travels down the back and sometimes into the arms or legs when the head is bent forward. This is also known as Lhermitte's sign.

Small increases in body temperature may activate old symptoms or cause new ones to emerge (called Uthoff's phenomenon). Body temperature typically rises when the body is fighting an infection, the temperature outdoors is high, or during exercise. Some people with MS notice changes in energy after sunbathing or taking a hot shower or sauna. Symptoms are usually temporary and usually improve once they cool off and their body temperature returns to normal.

emotional changes may be related to the stress of being ill or the direct result of lesions located in thinking areas of the brain. More than half of all patients with multiple sclerosis experience changes in thinking, memory loss, difficulty in processing information, and mood swings. Forty percent of people diagnosed with MS report mild problems, and 10 percent, severe problems. Many physicians inexperienced in diagnosing MS often dismiss cognitive and emotional symptoms as "psychological." This is more likely to happen to women than men. But clearly, cognitive problems frequently occur in MS patients as a result of brain lesions.

Pain can have many causes and take on many forms. People with MS may experience pain caused by muscle spasms, cramps, and injury to sensory nerve fibers. Some people experience excruciating facial pain on one side that feels like a knife stab. Increased sensitivity to touch and tight muscles can also cause pain. Not all pain, however, can be attributed to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). People with MS still have normal aches and pains of everyday life, including headaches and joint pain.

Bladder & Bowel problems are commonly associated with MS. People with MS may have to urinate frequently, often with little warning. Some people find it hard to control the stop and start of the urine stream (hesitation) or have difficulty emptying the bladder completely (urinary retention). Some urine may inadvertently leak out uncontrollably (incontinence). There is an increased risk for urinary tract infections in people who are unable to empty the bladder completely. In most cases urinary problems can be controlled with medications. In rare cases the urine must be removed manually using a small tube inserted directly into the bladder (catheter).

Constipation is common in people with MS, and is often aggravated when people with MS don't drink enough fluids in an effort to avoid urine accidents. Leakage of stool (fecal incontinence) and diarrhea are not usually reported. Hard stools that are difficult to pass can cause pain and discomfort. Constipation is easily controlled with medication, increasing fluid intake, increasing fiber in the diet, and maintaining a regular bowel schedule.

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