Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a chronic autoimmune condition that damages the myelin, the protective sheath around the nerve fibers, in the central nervous system.

Over time, it also damages the underlying axons, which contributes to irreversible neurological disability.

MS typically begins between 20 and 40 years old and is twice as common in women as in men.

MS presents with a wide range of neurological symptoms.

Optic neuritis may cause vision loss in one eye and pain with eye movement.

Paresthesias, spasticity, muscle weakness, ataxia, and gait instability are common.

Other features include neurogenic bladder dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and depression.

Symptoms often appear during relapses, with new or worsening issues developing over days to weeks.

These are followed by remissions—periods when symptoms partially or fully improve.

This pattern of flare-ups and recovery is typical of the most common form of MS.