What is multiple sclerosis? – article includes CIS

                                                                  

MS is a chronic illness involving the central nervous system. The immune system attacks myelin, which is the protective layer around nerve fibers. This causes inflammation and scar tissue, or lesions. This can make it hard for your brain to send signals to the rest of your body. Types of MS include:

RRMS involves clear relapses of disease activity followed by remissions. Symptoms are mild or absent during remission, and there’s no disease progression during the remission period. RRMS is the most common form of MS at onset.

CIS involves one episode of symptoms that are due to demyelination in the central nervous system. This episode must last for at least 24 hours.

The two types of episodes are monofocal and multifocal. A monofocal episode means one lesion causes one symptom. A multifocal episode means you have more than one lesion and more than one symptom.

Although these episodes are characteristic of MS, they aren’t enough to prompt a diagnosis. If lesions similar to those that occur with MS are present, you’re more likely to receive a diagnosis of RRMS. If these lesions aren’t present, you’re less likely to develop MS.

Neurological function becomes progressively worse from the onset of your symptoms if you have PPMS. However, short periods of stability can still occur. 

Progressive-relapsing MS was a term people previously used for progressive MS with clear relapses. People now call it PPMS. The words “active” and “not active” are used to describe disease activity.

SPMS occurs when RRMS transitions into the progressive form. You may still have noticeable relapses, in addition to gradual worsening of function or disability.

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