As I’ve explained before, I have Multiple Sclerosis. I’ve told my personal perspective, but I wanted to provide a few facts for you in case you’re further interested.

Personally, I didn’t know anything about MS before I was diagnosed, and I found a great deal of very useful information through the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s website. What Is MS? is a great place to start.

The cause of MS is still unknown. Scientists believe that a combination of environmental and genetic factors contribute to the risk of developing MS.

The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease.1

By far, I get asked the most: “So, what are your symptoms?” And that is almost impossible to answer. I almost always say: fatigue, vision loss, and balance issues. But if we’re really going to dive into it, I experience:

  • Social anxiety
  • Body aches
  • Nerve pain
  • Hand and foot tingling, numbness
  • Ringing in my ears and mishearing quite a bit
  • I can’t control the volume of my voice so I’m sometimes so quiet that I feel like I don’t have a voice at all
  • Muscle spasticity (stiffness and involuntary muscle spasms)
  • Bladder and bowel problems
  • Dizziness and vertigo
  • Itching
  • Seizures/fainting

A full list from the MS Society is available here.

This is a particularly helpful link for those who have been recently diagnosed and their loved ones who want to know more about MS.

An added layer of risk, is COVID-19. This is the official statement from the MS Society for individuals on a disease modifying treatment (DMT). I am currently on a DMT, and have increased fear about the effects COVID-19 could have on me personally. Thankfully, my husband and son don’t have underlying health concerns, but if we do contact it, it could turn into a more serious case for me.

The goal is to bring enough awareness and research to someday find a cure. Together we are stronger.