About Multiple Sclerosis
MS Hope for a Cure feels strongly that the National MS Society is the single best place to find information regarding Multiple Sclerosis. When first being diagnosed, it can be extremely difficult and scary to sort through all the information on the internet. We recommend that you speak to your doctor if you are concerned that you may have MS and use the National MS Society's website www.nationalmssociety.org to learn more about the disease, treatments, and resources currently available.
From the National MS Society's Website
What is Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (or MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. Today, new treatments and advances in research are giving new hope to people affected by the disease.
MS is Thought to be an Autoimmune Disease
The body's own defense system attacks myelin, the fatty substance that surrounds and protects the nerve fibers in the central nervous system. The nerve fibers themselves can also be damaged. The damaged myelin forms scar tissue (sclerosis), which gives the disease its name. When any part of the myelin sheath or nerve fiber is damaged or destroyed, nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain and spinal cord are distorted or interrupted, producing the variety of symptoms that can occur.
For more information please visit www.nationalmssociety.org.