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About MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common neurological condition in young adults in the UK, affecting around 100,000 people. There are three main types of MS:
- relapsing remitting MS
- secondary progressive MS
- primary progressive MS
MS is a condition of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). The central nervous system controls the body's actions and activities, such as movement and balance.
Each nerve fibre in the central nervous system is surrounded by a substance called myelin. Myelin helps messages from the brain to travel quickly and smoothly to the rest of the body. In MS, the myelin becomes damaged and this disrupts the transfer of these messages.
Who is affected
MS can occur at any age, but symptoms are mostly first seen between the ages of 20 and 40. Women are more than twice as likely to develop MS as men.
Outlook
MS is a lifelong condition, but it is not terminal. Most people with MS can expect to live as long as someone without the condition.
More information
If you would like to find out more about MS and about services and support available for people affected by the condition, please visit the useful links page, from where you will be able to visit organisations such as the MS Society, the MS Trust and MS National Therapy Centres.
