Quick Facts MS

MS Quick Facts

MS is the most common cause of disability affecting young adults

MS was first recognized as a disorder in the late nineteenth century

Exercise can be an effective way to help manage MS symptoms

Horseback riding was a treatment for MS in the early to mid-1800s and today equine therapy is still a recommended way to help manage symptoms in some cases


Basic Facts


More than 400,000 people in the United States and 2.1 million people worldwide have MS

Approximately 200 people are diagnosed with the disease per week, more than one person every hour

There is no cure for MS yet, but there are now FDA-approved medications that have been shown to modify or slow down the underlying course of MS

Many therapeutic and technological advances are helping people with MS manage their symptoms

Advances in treating and understanding MS are made every year, and progress in research to find a cure is very encouraging

No single laboratory test is available to prove or rule out MS, however Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a great help in reach a definitive diagnosis

MS was first recognized as a disorder in the late nineteenth century

In the 1960’s researchers first began to understand some of the processes that cause symptoms and long-term disability

The first standard guidelines for the diagnosis of MS and a disability rating scale were established in the 1960’s

In the late 60’s, the first controlled clinical trials for MS therapy showed that treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) could speed recovery from an attack

MS is recognized as a chronic, inflammatory and autoimmune disease of the central nervous system

MS is the most common cause of disability affecting young adults

MS is a progressive disease for which there is not a cure yet

Sclerosis is a Greek word meaning hardening of tissue or scars

The first case of MS was diagnosed in 1849

The earliest known case of MS dates back to 14th century Holland

MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease but currently debates continue on this subject

The average time between clinical onset of MS and diagnosis by physicians is 4 – 5 years

In 1936, only 8% of patients were reported to survive beyond 20 years after onset of illness

In 1961, over 80% of MS patients were reported surviving to 20 years after onset of illness

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne’s son, Jack Osbourne, is an MS patient

Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding is an MS patient

The Dutch Saint Lidwina, who died in 1433, may have been one of the first known MS patients

In the early to mid-1800s, multiple sclerosis was treated with a variety of methods including drinking and bathing in “steel water” and eating beef steaks twice a day

Horseback riding was a treatment for MS in the early to mid-1800s and today equine therapy is still a recommended way to help manage symptoms in some cases

Foods that help boost energy and combat against MS-related fatigue include blueberries, oranges, salmon, almonds, and green tea

Although the numbers are on the rise, that does not mean MS is. Due to the recent use of MRI scanning , MS has just become easier to diagnose.

Botox may help with some people’s bowel and bladder issues associated with MS.

MS is the most common central nervous disease in young adults

Acupuncture may be an effective therapy in improving bladder function in people with MS

Exercise can be an effective way to help manage MS symptoms



Demographic Information


Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, although people as young as two and as old as 75 have developed it

At least two to three times as many women as men are diagnosed with MS

There are an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 children under the age of 18 who live with MS

MS occurs in most ethnic groups but more commonly among Caucasians of Northern European ancestry

MS is more frequently observed at northern latitudes farther from the equator and less frequently areas closer to the equator

MS is neither contagious nor directly inherited

Studies indicate genetic factors may make certain individuals more susceptible to the disease

The average person has about a 1 in 750 chance of developing MS

Someone with a parent or sibling with MS has about a 1 in 40 chance of developing MS

One study found that people born in May were more likely to develop MS, while people born in November were less likely to develop MS

Those who smoke have a higher risk of developing MS

Multiple studies have suggested that those who get less sunlight are at higher risk of developing MS

People who live in northern areas that get less sunlight are more likely to develop MS

A study found that women who took at least 400 IU’s of vitamin D a day had a significantly lower risk for MS

MS typically skips a generation rather than seeing a gene passed from parent to child

MS is the most common progressive and disabling neurological condition in young adults

Approximately 70,000 people in the UK have MS

Approximately 50,000 people in Canada have MS

Over 10,500 people in Scotland have MS

The average age of clinical onset is 30 – 33 years of age

The average age of diagnosis is 37 years of age

10% of cases of MS are diagnosed after the age of 50

MS is five times more prevalent in temperate climates than in tropical climates

Native Indians of North and South America, Japanese, and other Asian peoples have a very low incidence rate of MS

The risk of contracting MS if a first-degree relative (father, mother, sibling) has MS is only 1 – 3%

The risk of contracting MS if your father has MS is approximately 1 in 100

The risk of contracting MS if your mother has MS is approximately 1 in 50

Various studies have connected many viruses, such as the Epstein-Barr virus with an increased risk of developing MS but this has not yet been proven

85% of MS patients are diagnosed in the early stage

Pregnancy may lower a woman’s risk for ever developing MS.

Moving from an area where MS risk is high to an area where it is low at a young age may decrease an individual’s likelihood of developing MS. Moving in old age may decrease risk for the next generation.

Outbreaks or clusters of MS have been identified in some areas but their causes remain unknown



Symptom Information


Symptoms of MS vary greatly from person to person and from time to time in the same person

In MS, symptoms result when inflammation and breakdown occur in myelin, the protective insulation surrounding the nerve fibers of the central nervous system

MS is not a fatal disease, except in rare cases

People with MS may struggle to live a productively as they desire , often facing increasing limitations

The majority of people who live with MS do not become severely disabled

Two-thirds of people with MS remain able to walk, though many will require an aid, such as a cane

In early MS, symptoms that come and go might indicate any number of possible disorders

There are four different types of MS: Relapsing-Remitting, Primary-Progressive, Secondary-Progressive, Progressive-Relapsing

Everyone who has MS experiences it differently

Symptoms come and go and tend to be triggered by stress or an increase in body temperature

Acquiring MS may be connected to levels of Vitamin D

About 50% of people with MS will develop some cognitive problems

Only 10% of people with MS that develop cognitive problems experience symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily activities

MS is usually a “diagnosis of exclusion” because there is no single test available to clearly identify MS

About 85% of those who are newly diagnosed have the Relapsing-Remitting form of MS

MS does not significantly affect lifespan

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of MS

If left untreated, half of all Relapsing-Remitting individuals develop Secondary-Progressive MS within 10 years

MS attacks the central nervous system rather than the muscles themselves

The exact cause of MS is still unknown though it may be caused by a virus

Some pain experienced in the joints may be indirectly related to MS and be the result of other MS symptoms such as imbalance

Some people with MS may notice changes in their speech such as a nasal sounding voice or a breathless sound along with slurring or changes in volume

MS symptoms typically stabilize improve temporarily during pregnancy

Some people with MS experience “MS lassitude”, a severe fatigue which people describe as “unlike anything they've ever felt

People with MS may experience an “MS hug”, or dysesthesias ,which is a non-muscular sensory phenomenon which feels like they are being tightly grabbed around the midsection

25 to 60% of MS patients report experiencing tremors which can include a single limb, the head, torso, or even the vocal cords

An itching sensation known as dysesthetic itching is sometimes seen in people with MS. There is no physical cause for it as it is caused by damaged nerves

Only about 5 to 6% of people with MS will experience hearing loss due to the disease affecting the auditory nerve

Eye pain, called optic neuritis, is often the first symptom people with MS experience

Trouble swallowing, called dysphagia, is a more uncommon symptom of MS

Some MS patients experience acute pain, such as stabbing facial pain, called trigeminal neuralgia

Only 2 to 5% of people diagnosed with MS have a history of symptom onset before the age of 18

Seizures are a symptom that is seen in children diagnosed with MS but not typically adults

Common pain symptoms include headache, back pain, continuous burning in the extremities, and painful tonic spasms

MS pain is usually described as musculoskeletal, paroxysmal, or chronic neurogenic

Epileptic seizures are three to six more common in those with MS than those without MS

MS related seizures are most likely caused by lesions in the cerebral cortex and the white matter around the area

MS Cure Fund Mission

The MS Cure Fund is a national non-profit organization. It was started by MS patients to put a face on the disease, create awareness through educational seminars, and raise funds that go directly to Multiple Sclerosis research. It is dedicated to help eliminate this debilitating disease with the hope to find a cure. 

Read more about our History and Message from Our Founder

Source: http://www.mscurefund.org/ms-quick-facts/
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