Multiple Sclerosis: A Debilitating Autoimmune Disease and Its Early Signs

Nearly 1 million people in the United States live with multiple sclerosis (MS). While there’s no cure, treatments and lifestyle changes can ease symptoms.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease in which the immune system attacks the nerves, leading to a wide range of symptoms. Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system in which your immune system mistakenly attacks the protective coating around your nerves—called myelin. This coating works like the insulation around electrical wires, helping nerve signals travel properly between your brain and body. When the myelin is damaged, those signals can become disrupted, causing a wide range of symptoms.

MS typically strikes people between the ages of 20 and 40, making it the leading cause of noninjury-related neurological disability in young adults. Nearly 1 million people in the United States currently live with MS.