It's also known as MS. In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers, known as myelin. This interrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Eventually, the disease can cause permanent damage of the nerve fibers.
Many people with MS use a variety of alternative or complementary treatments to help manage their symptoms, such as fatigue and muscle pain. Exercise, meditation, yoga, massage, eating a healthier diet, acupuncture and relaxation techniques may help boost overall mental and physical well-being.
Mayo Clinic's MS care teams evaluate thousands of people with MS each year. With a concentration on MS and vast experience, Mayo Clinic specialists are able to make accurate diagnoses and recommend effective treatments from the start.
Researchers are learning more about how existing DMTs work to lessen relapses and reduce MS-related lesions in the brain. Further studies may show whether these treatments might delay disability caused by the disease.
Signs and symptoms of MS vary widely and depend on the amount of nerve damage and which nerves are affected. Some people with severe MS may lose the ability to walk independently, or to walk at all, while others may experience long periods of remission without any new symptoms.
We don't know what causes MS, but there are certain factors that may increase the risk or trigger its onset. So while MS can occur at any age, it mostly makes its first appearance in people between the ages of 20 and 40.
Women are often diagnosed with MS during their childbearing years. These healthcare professionals help women who have MS make decisions around family planning, reproductive health, pregnancy and postnatal care.
"We have found a compelling association between prominent spinal cord lesions and MS progression," says B. Mark Keegan, M.D., a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Is there any proof that vitamin D supplements can prevent MS or keep symptoms of MS from getting worse? Research has shown that maintaining enough vitamin D in the body may lower the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).
About 10% to 15% of people with multiple sclerosis are diagnosed with a progressive form, called primary-progressive MS (PPMS), at the onset of the disease. A DMT called ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) can slow down the progression of disability over time.
