Understanding MS
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
MS is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease affects the Central Nervous System (including the brain, spinal cord and nerves). Symptoms vary widely but can include unsteadiness, weakness or fatigue.
What Causes the Symptoms of MS?
Every nerve in your body is covered by a fatty substance called myelin. Myelin protects your nerves and helps them to send messages to other parts of your body. In MS, the myelin becomes inflamed and damaged. The resulting scarring (or sclerosis) can slow or prevent message delivery. This can affect muscle coordination, strength, sensation and vision.
What is Relapsing MS?
Multiple sclerosis typically takes one of four different forms. Relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) is the most common initial diagnosis affecting more than 85% of the MS population.
People with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis experience attacks of worsening neurologic function followed by periods of partial or complete recovery. During these recovery periods, no disease progression occurs.