Multiple Sclerosis | MS | MedlinePlus

Multiple Sclerosis | MS | MedlinePlus

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

• BAER - brainstem auditory evoked response
• Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) collection
• CSF cell count
• CSF myelin basic protein
• CSF oligoclonal banding
• CSF oligoclonal banding - slideshow
• Daily bowel care program
• Head MRI
• Multiple sclerosis
• Multiple sclerosis - discharge

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Multiple Sclerosis is theNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

• Multiple Sclerosis: An Overview
• Multiple Sclerosis: One Day at a Time: Living with an Unpredictable Disease
• Uncovering the Mysteries of MS: Medical Imaging Helps NIH Researchers Understand the Tricky Disease

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Summary

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nervous system disease that affects your brain and spinal cord. It damages the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects your nerve cells. This damage slows down or blocks messages between your brain and your body, leading to the symptoms of MS. They can include

• Visual disturbances
• Muscle weakness
• Trouble with coordination and balance
• Sensations such as numbness, prickling, or "pins and needles"
• Thinking and memory problems

No one knows what causes MS. It may be an autoimmune disease, which happens when your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake. Multiple sclerosis affects women more than men. It often begins between the ages of 20 and 40. Usually, the disease is mild, but some people lose the ability to write, speak, or walk.

There is no single test for MS. Doctors use a medical history, physical exam, neurological exam, MRI, and other tests to diagnose it. There is no cure for MS, but medicines may slow it down and help control symptoms. Physical and occupational therapy may also help.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Start Here

• Multiple Sclerosis (American Academy of Family Physicians)Also in Spanish
• Multiple Sclerosis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Multiple Sclerosis  (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary
• Multiple Sclerosis: Hope through Research  (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Analysis  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• CSF Immunoglobulin G (IgG) Index  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• CSF oligoclonal banding - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Diagnosing MS (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)

Treatments and Therapies

• Clear Thinking about Alternative Therapies (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Multiple Sclerosis(American Academy of Neurology) - PDF
• Thunder God Vine  (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs in MS: An Introduction (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF

Living With

• Comprehensive Care (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Diet & Nutrition (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Dressing with Ease, Style and Comfort (ALS Association) - PDF
• Exercise (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Living with Advanced MS (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Managing Multiple Sclerosis: Treatment Can Delay Future Attacks  (National Institutes of Health)Also in Spanish
• Mobility Aids: MedlinePlus Health Topic  - Canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairsAlso in Spanish
• Rehabilitation in Managing MS (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Staying Mobile (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Staying Well (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Work and Home (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)

Related Issues

• "But You Look So Good!": Managing Specific Issues (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
• African Americans and Multiple Sclerosis (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
• At Home with MS: Adapting Your Environment (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
• Dental Health: The Basic Facts (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Depression and Multiple Sclerosis (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Emotional Disorders in People with Multiple Sclerosis (American Academy of Neurology) - PDF
• Gait or Walking Problems (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
• Guide for Caregivers (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDFAlso in Spanish
• Health and Wellness (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Hepatitis B Vaccine and Multiple Sclerosis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Hiring Help at Home: The Basic Facts (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
• MS in Your Relationships (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Multiple Sclerosis: Can It Cause Seizures? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
• Myoclonus  (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary
• Neuromyelitis Optica  (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)Also in Spanish
• Preventive Care Recommendations for Adults with MS (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
• Spasticity  (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Specifics

• Primary-Progressive MS (PPMS) (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Progressive-Relapsing MS (PRMS) (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS)  (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Schilder's Disease  (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Secondary-Progressive MS (SPMS) (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: multiple sclerosis  (National Library of Medicine)

Statistics and Research

• Research News (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Shaking Out Clues to Autoimmune Disease (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
• Technique Selectively Represses Immune System  (National Institutes of Health)
• Vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Is There Any Connection?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
• Vitamin D Levels Predict Multiple Sclerosis Progression  (National Institutes of Health)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Multiple Sclerosis  (National Institutes of Health)

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Glatiramer Acetate: from Bench to Bed and Back. 
• Article: Influence of different rehabilitative aerobic exercise programs on (anti-) inflammatory immune... 
• Article: Trigeminal neuralgia secondary to multiple sclerosis: from the clinical picture to... 
• Multiple Sclerosis -- see more articles 

Reference Desk

• Glossary of MS Terms (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)

Find an Expert

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Also in Spanish
• National Multiple Sclerosis Society 

Children

• Keep S'meylin (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF
• Pediatric MS (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
• Someone You Know Has MS: A Book for Families (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF

Teenagers

• When a Parent Has MS: A Teenager's Guide (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - PDF

Women

• Pregnancy and Reproductive Issues (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)

Patient Handouts

• Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) collection (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• CSF oligoclonal banding (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Daily bowel care program (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Multiple sclerosis (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Multiple sclerosis - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish