Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating disease of the Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord) that is usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40 years.MS is an unpredictable, progressive disease for which there is no known cause or cure.
An estimated 2.5 million people throughout the world have Multiple Sclerosis, with 20,000 sufferers Australia-wide and more than 2,000 in South Australia . Three out of four people diagnosed are women and every working day, 5 people in Australia are diagnosed with MS.
With MS, the protective sheath around the nerve fibres becomes damaged, interrupting messages from the brain. It also interferes with the brain’s ability to control functions such as sight, mobility and speech.
The symptoms of MS vary enormously and may include:
Vision and speech difficulties
Fatigue
Loss of mobility and co-ordination
Muscle weakness
Incontinence
Problems with memory and concentration
MS is an unpredictable, progressive disease for which there is no known cause or cure.However, advances in treating and understanding MS are being achieved and research suggests genetic and environmental factors play major roles.