Genentech: Multiple Sclerosis

What are the symptoms of MS?

Symptoms of MS vary widely from person to person. They can also change in a person over the course of the disease, temporarily disappearing or progressively worsening.5 Symptom flare-ups are known as relapses, and most people experience these during the course of the disease.

What causes MS?

Although the cause of MS is unknown, both genetics and environment appear to contribute to risk. More than 50 genes are known to increase the risk of developing MS; none appears to have a large effect on its own.3 If a person is diagnosed with MS, the risk for their identical twin is 1 in 3 and the risk for their first cousin is 1 in 100.

How is MS diagnosed?

The diagnosis of MS is complex because symptoms vary widely from patient to patient and there is no single test that confirms a diagnosis.

How is MS treated?

There is no cure for MS. A combination of therapies is commonly used to help people manage acute symptoms of relapse or reduce disease activity.13 Severe relapses are treated with high-dose corticosteroids to decrease inflammation or to alleviate residual symptoms such as spasticity. Other residual symptoms, such as pain, may be treated with appropriate medicines.