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MS Affects People Differently

CHICAGO, IL (December 23, 2005) - Many people still suffer misconceptions about multiple sclerosis (MS), which affects the nervous system, says Joyce Nelson, president and CEO of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

"What's really hard to understand about MS is the first part - the multiple part," Nelson says. "It affects every person differently. It can affect the same person differently from one week to another."

"Five to 10 percent are totally devastated," Nelson continues, pointing out that "less than half the people who get MS will need a mobility aid. The damage that MS causes can occur anywhere in the nervous system," Nelson says. "There probably are as many as four different subsets."

She adds that Scandinavians have a higher prevalence of MS than those who live near the equator, although the reason is not known.

Approximately 400,000 Americans acknowledge having MS, and about 200 individuals are diagnosed with the disease every week, according to the organization's website. As many as 2.5 million individuals worldwide may be affected.

To learn more about MS, visit the organization's website at Multiple Sclerosis Society.

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