Myths about MS symptoms and progression

Myth: Everyone with MS ends up in a wheelchair.
Fact: Most people with MS (about two-thirds) do not end up in a wheelchair. They are able to continue walking – often with a cane, crutches, or a walker. People who are capable of walking may choose to use a wheelchair occasionally if they are tired or are having balance problems.

Myth: MS will shorten your lifespan.
Fact: For most people, MS does not mean a shorter lifespan. The condition is not considered fatal, since most people with MS will have a normal (or near-normal) lifespan.

Myth: Doctors can predict what will happen with your MS.
Fact: MS is an unpredictable condition. Knowing which type of MS you have may give you some idea of what course you can expect the disease to take, but there is no way to know for sure what will happen with your MS in the future.

The 4 main types of MS are:

  • Clinically Isolated Syndrome: This type of MS refers to an episode where the person experiences MS-like symptoms, such as vision problems or muscle weakness, for at least 24 hours. It does not mean that people who experience this will develop MS. An MRI can help to identify if there are brain lesions similar to those in MS, which are more likely to predict MS progression.
  • Relapsing-remitting: This is the most common type of MS. People with this form of MS experience flare-ups followed by recovery periods where the symptoms decrease or go away entirely.
  • Primary-progressive: This type, which affects about 15% of people with MS, causes a gradual and steady worsening of symptoms from the time of diagnosis, with no clear flare-ups.
  • Secondary-progressive: This type of MS starts out as relapsing-remitting, and then becomes progressive (symptoms worsen gradually but steadily with no recovery periods). Current data suggest that 50% people with relapsing-remitting MS eventually develop secondary progressive MS. Some studies show that those with relapsing-remitting MS who start treatment with disease-modifying drugs earlier are less likely to develop secondary-progressive MS, compared to those who do not receive any treatment.

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