How do people get multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis is caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves. It's not clear why this happens but it may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

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Could you live a normal life with MS?

Contents. You may have to adapt your daily life if you're diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), but with the right care and support many people can lead long, active and healthy lives.

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What age does MS usually start?

MS can appear at any age but most commonly manifests between the ages of 20 and 40. It affects women two to three times as often as men. Almost one million people in the United States have MS, making it one of the most common causes of neurological disability among young adults in North America.

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Can you develop MS?

It's most commonly diagnosed in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s although it can develop at any age. It's about 2 to 3 times more common in women than men. MS is one of the most common causes of disability in younger adults.

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What are the odds of getting multiple sclerosis?

The average risk of developing MS in the United States is roughly 3.5 in 1,000, or less than half of one percent. For first-degree relatives (such as a child or sibling), the risk increases to three or four percent.

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Mayo Clinic Explains Multiple Sclerosis

19 related questions found

Who is most at risk of MS?

White people, particularly those of Northern European descent, are at highest risk of developing MS . People of Asian, African or Native American descent have the lowest risk. A recent study suggests that the number of Black and Hispanic young adults with multiple sclerosis may be greater than previously thought.

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Are you born with MS or does it develop?

your genes – MS isn't directly inherited, but people who are related to someone with the condition are more likely to develop it; the chance of a sibling or child of someone with MS also developing it is estimated to be around 2 to 3 in 100.

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What does MS feel like in the beginning?

What Does MS Feels Like? A lack of feeling or a pins-and-needles sensation can be the first sign of nerve damage from MS. It usually happens in your face, arms, or legs, and on one side of your body. It tends to go away on its own.

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Can MS be brought on by stress?

Some people with MS feel that they developed MS as a direct result of some stressful event or trauma. The evidence on this connection is mixed. Some studies do see an effect whilst others don't.

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Can you have MS for 30 years without knowing?

Benign multiple sclerosis (MS) describes a form of MS that a person may have for several years without experiencing any of the severe symptoms that the condition generally causes.

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How long does MS take to disable you?

A person with benign MS will have few symptoms or loss of ability after having MS for about 15 years, while most people with MS would be expected to have some degree of disability after that amount of time, particularly if their MS went untreated.

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Does MS come on suddenly?

Most symptoms develop abruptly, within hours or days. These attacks or relapses of MS typically reach their peak within a few days at most and then resolve slowly over the next several days or weeks so that a typical relapse will be symptomatic for about eight weeks from onset to recovery. Resolution is often complete.

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Is MS curable if caught early?

There is no cure for multiple sclerosis. Treatment typically focuses on speeding recovery from attacks, reducing new radiographic and clinical relapses, slowing the progression of the disease, and managing MS symptoms. Some people have such mild symptoms that no treatment is necessary.

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How common is MS in Australia?

The prevalence of MS in Australia has increased from 103.7 per 100,000 people in 2017 to 131.1 per 100,000 people in 2021. This increase in prevalence is most likely due to changes in exposure to known MS risk factors.

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What are the four stages of MS?

The four stages of multiple sclerosis:
  • Initial (diagnosis)
  • Early (little disability)
  • Later (moderate disability)
  • Advanced (severe disability)

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What should MS patients avoid?

7 Foods to Avoid When You Have MS
  • Saturated Fats. Saturated fats come primarily from animal products and by-products, such as red meat and full-fat dairy, and are also found in foods that contain palm oil or coconut oil. ...
  • Trans Fats. ...
  • Cow's Milk. ...
  • Sugar. ...
  • Sodium. ...
  • Refined Carbs. ...
  • Gluten.

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Is multiple sclerosis Hereditary or Genetic?

Is MS genetic or hereditary? MS is not an inherited disease — it is not passed down from generation to generation. But people can inherit genetic risk. This means that MS is not genetic in the simpler way that black hair or dimples are.

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Is MS caused by emotional trauma?

Childhood trauma results in PTSD and chronic stress, which may be partly how it influences the likelihood a person will develop MS, says Jacobs. “[Chronic stress] in turn results in the release of stress hormones which impact the immune system,” she says.

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What are 3 warning signs of MS?

There are lots of symptoms that MS can cause, but not everyone will experience all of them.
  • fatigue.
  • numbness and tingling.
  • loss of balance and dizziness.
  • stiffness or spasms.
  • tremor.
  • pain.
  • bladder problems.
  • bowel trouble.

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Does MS show up in blood work?

Blood Tests: Currently, there are no definitive blood tests for diagnosing MS, but they can be used to rule out other conditions that may mimic MS symptoms, including Lyme disease, collagen-vascular diseases, rare hereditary disorders and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

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How is MS diagnosed in Australia?

Your doctor will refer you to a neurologist. They will examine you to check how different parts of your nervous system are working. A combination of tests is used to diagnose MS. The best test is an MRI of your brain and spinal cord to detect areas of damage.

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Does MS run in the family?

Inheritance. The inheritance pattern of multiple sclerosis is unknown, although the condition does appear to be passed down through generations in families. The risk of developing multiple sclerosis is higher for siblings or children of a person with the condition than for the general population.

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Is MS inherited from mother or father?

MS is not directly inherited from parent to child. There's no single gene that causes it. Over 200 genes might affect your chances of getting MS.

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