March is National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month

National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month was created by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation to promote and raise awareness, provide education and assistance to those who have this chronic illness and their families who are affected by it.

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS) which consists of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. What is extra devastating about Multiple Sclerosis is that it typically affects its' victims at a young age - between the ages of 20 and 50. Women are more likely to get Multiple Sclerosis (MS) than men and there are currently close to 500,000 people in the United States who have it.

Multiple Sclerosis is not fatal, but the outcome of each person's experience with MS is unique when it comes to disease progression and severity of symptoms. Multiple Sclerosis patients will have periods where their symptoms and MS go into remission. When a "flare" or "relapse" occurs, it can last for days, weeks or even months before the patient will go into remission again.

The cause or causes of Multiple Sclerosis are still unknown but most people who have MS will live a normal life expectancy. While some MS patients are mildly affected by the illness, there are others who are totally disabled and unable to walk or talk.

Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

The symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis can vary from person to person. This can make getting a diagnosis difficult. According to the MS Society, "One person may experience abnormal fatigue, while another might have severe vision problems. A person with MS could have loss of balance and muscle coordination making walking difficult; another person with MS could have slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, and bladder problems. While some symptoms will come and go over the course of the disease, others may be more lasting."

The most common symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis include:

- Fatigue

- Difficulty walking

- Bladder dysfunction

- Bowel dysfunction

- Cognitive dysfunction

- Dizziness

- Vertigo

- Depression

- Sexual dysfunction

- Numbness

- Vision problems

- Balance and coordination problems

- Pain

Less common symptoms may include:

- Tremors

- Headaches

- Hearing loss

- Seizures

- Itching

- Speech disorders

- Swallowing disorders

Although there is currently no cure for Multiple Sclerosis there are FDA approved drugs that are used to treat the chronic disease. Other forms of treatment that are used for Multiple Sclerosis include physical therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and counseling.

Online Resources for Multiple Sclerosis

There are some great online resources to help and support patients with Multiple Sclerosis and their families who are seeking information. Please give the list of websites below to anyone you know who may have just been diagnosed with MS.

National MS Society

Multiple Sclerosis Foundation

Direct MS

UCSF Multiple Sclerosis Center