Multiple Sclerosis Life Expectancy

The onset of MS typically occurs between the ages of 20-50 years. MS is the most common, disabling neurologic disorder in young adults.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects different parts of the central nervous system (CNS) at different points in time. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The brain controls bodily activities, such as movements and thoughts. The spinal cord serves as a pathway for messages between the brain and various parts of the body. These messages participate in most bodily actions. Because multiple sclerosis affects different parts of the central nervous system, it can affect the functioning of many parts of the body.

Many researchers consider multiple sclerosis an autoimmune disease of the (CNS). In an autoimmune disease that affects the brain or spinal cord, the body's immune system (its defense system against infection and disease) treats normal CNS tissues as foreign and attacks them. Moreover, in MS, the body’s immune system attacks the fatty substance that surrounds and insulates nerve fibers or myelin sheath, and the nerve fibers themselves are called demyelination. The myelin forms scar tissue (sclerosis), which is the basis for the name of multiple sclerosis. When the immune system attacks tissues in the (CNS), as in multiple sclerosis, the messages the brain sends are interrupted.

• The onset of MS typically occurs between the ages of 20-50 years. MS is the most common, disabling neurologic disorder in young adults.
• Women are about two times more likely than men to develop MS.
• The disease is more common in people who live farther from the equator, although the strength of this association has recently been questioned.
• MS occurs more frequently in whites with northern European ancestry. People living in North America, Europe, and Australia are more likely to develop MS than those living in Asia.
• Genetic factors play a role in MS. If a parent or a sibling has MS, the risk of developing MS is 3%. If an identical twin has MS, the risk of the other twin is 25%-40%.
• Endocrine factors are also thought to play a role in MS. For instance, there is a decrease in the number of MS attacks during pregnancy. Within the 3 months that follow pregnancy, the chance of new MS attacks is higher. This fluctuation in disease severity is thought to be a response to hormonal changes that occur during the pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis that appear in adults, teens, and children (pediatric MS) depend upon the part of the central nervous system affected and the function of the damaged nerve. Early signs and symptoms of MS may appear for days or weeks and then disappear. Symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe, and include:

• Vision changes, including blurred, patchy, or hazy vision, and loss of color perception, which may be accompanied by eye pain (Double vision may occur if the nerve pathways in charge of eye movements are affected.)
• Fatigue, tiredness, and lack of energy
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Muscle tightness or spasticity
• Dizziness
• Imbalance and incoordination
• Vertigo
• Bladder and bowel problems
• Facial pain
• Slurred speech
• Difficulty with walking and fine motor skills
• Mood swings
• Memory loss

Children and teens with MS have similar signs and symptoms as adults; however, they also may experience seizures and extreme fatigue that adults do not.

People with multiple sclerosis may have worsening symptoms after taking a hot shower or bath or being outside in hot weather for prolonged periods.
When MS symptoms are active, they are referred to as attacks or relapses. When there are no symptoms of multiple sclerosis, they are referred to as remissions.

Most people with MS have days or weeks of relapses followed by months or years of remissions, called relapsing-remitting MS.

Other conditions related to MS that may have similar symptoms include acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), Balo’s disease, HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), Schilder's disease, and transverse myelitis.

The progress of MS and a person's prognosis cannot be predicted at the early stages with great accuracy. People with multiple sclerosis are advised at the early stages to try to lead a normal life, exercise frequently, and follow healthy diets. However, no particular diet for MS has been shown to adversely affect the course of illness.) If you have MS, monitor symptoms that appear during exercise to adjust and learn to moderate your level of effort accordingly.

MS Relapses, Remissions, and Complications

• Most people with MS relapses and remissions will eventually need assistance to walk within 15-20 years. The disease tends to become progressive, and many of these people will eventually need canes, walkers, scooters, or wheelchairs to deal with the disability caused by the disease. Some choose to use a scooter early on to help conserve their energy.
• A small percentage of people with MS have a very mild form of the illness with little or no disability and few symptoms, although, in many, the disease may progress to a more moderate form within 25 years. Although these individuals appear to have few neurologic deficits, a detailed neurologic examination in some may reveal substantial cognitive impairment.
• A large percentage of people have relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), with intermittent worsening of neurologic symptoms that usually last several weeks. After years of relapses, MS patients with relapsing-remitting MS may switch to a steadily progressive form of the disease known as secondary-progressive (SPMS).
• Some people with MS have a relapsing-progressive form of the disease from the onset and do not return to their normal state of health after a relapse. These individuals may accumulate disability with and between each attack.
• A lower percentage of people have a progressive form of MS, termed primary-progressive MS (PPMS) in which problems with the nervous system progress every year despite the absence of clear exacerbations.
• Avoid exposure to excessive heat since it may exacerbate latent symptoms of MS, such as visual blurring, tingling, numbness, or fatigue.

Complications of MS (usually seen in patients in the advanced stages of the disease) include the following medical conditions:

• Pressure sores caused by immobility and long periods in a wheelchair or bed
• Osteoporosis caused by lack of weight-bearing exercise and side effects of corticosteroid treatment
• Severe bladder or kidney dysfunction due to chronic urinary dysfunction
• Aspiration pneumonia is caused by problems swallowing

Multiple sclerosis cannot be cured, and you cannot die from it (it is not fatal). People with MS can die from the complications of advanced MS. However, the life expectancy for a person with MS is similar to the general population. People with MS can be treated with medications that speed the recovery of relapses, relieve symptoms, or are prevention.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, you may find support and encouragement from these organizations:

• The National Multiple Sclerosis Society or its local chapters
• Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
• Multiple Sclerosis Association of America

Several MS centers or clinics have available support groups for patients with MS and their families.