Before 2019, the only thing I knew about Multiple Sclerosis was that the president on The West Wing had it. It was a condition occasionally featured in medical dramas or mentioned in the news when a new medication was approved.
But then my left leg felt wrong. I could move it just fine and walk, but every sensation felt muted—not like it was asleep, but as if it were wrapped in a thick blanket, where I could only feel pressure rather than touch. It was three days before the full feeling returned, and my doctor ordered x-rays before referring me to a neurologist. Four months, several blood tests to rule out other illnesses, and three MRI’s later, I was diagnosed with Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS).
Multiple Sclerosis is a condition where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibers, which can cause lesions in the brain and spine. MS symptoms vary from person to person. I’ve experienced numbness in my leg and blurred vision in my right eye during a flare, but common symptoms also include fatigue, vertigo, lack of coordination, tingling of limbs, slurred speech and memory issues. In Relapsing-remitting MS, symptoms come and go with flare ups. Over time, RMSS can develop into secondary-progressive MS, where symptoms multiply during a flare up. In primary-progressive MS, symptoms do not go away after a flare potentially leading to permanent paralysis and blindness.
We don’t know what causes MS, but there are some commonalities among the diagnosed that could increase the risk of MS including the following:
- Being female, women are 2-3 times more likely than men to have RRMS
- Having a parent or sibling with MS
- Having a past Epstein-Barr virus (the cause of viral mononucleosis)
- Being of Northern European descent
- Living in temperate climates
- Having another autoimmune disease such as psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or thyroid disease
There is no cure for MS, but there have been several advancements in therapy to manage flare-up symptoms, prevent lesion growth and reduce their frequency. For more information about MS and ways to support research efforts, visit www.nationalmssociety.org
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