Fast Facts About MS MS is not contagious!   (A person can’t catch it like the  flu or a cold.) Twice as many women than men have MS.   And, white people are twice as likely to get MS than black people. MS is rarely diagnosed before age 12 or after age 55.  (It hits most often between the ages of 20 and 40. It’s most commonly found in the U. S., Canada, Europe, and South America. Multiple Sclerosis means “many scars”. MS isn’t considered a “fatal” disease. messages don’t always get to the muscles.  This can keep them from doing even simple things—like picking up a cup. MS is a chronic condition which means that it continues over a long period of time—usually a life- time!  It often gets worse as time goes by and can lead to permanent disabilities.    Keep reading to learn more about multiple sclerosis... Multiple Sclerosis (or MS for short) is a disease of the central nervous system—the brain and the spinal cord. Every moment of our lives, messages are being sent between the brain and the nerves located all over our bodies.  Unfortunately, MS attacks and destroys tissues in the nervous system, causing it to “short circuit”.  When this happens, those messages between the brain and the nerves arrive late—or not at all!  Think of it this way:   When you want to take a sip of water, what happens?  Your brain sends an instant message to the muscles in your hand to pick up your glass of water.  Without thinking about it, your hand grabs the glass.   But, for people with MS, the right Picture This:  You wake up in the morning and your eyes feel like they’re being stabbed by sharp knives.  Your voice is shaky as you say, “Good morning!”  You feel dizzy and you trip as you get out of bed.  A few minutes later, when your arm goes numb, you drop your cup of coffee.  You already feel exhausted and have trouble swallowing your breakfast.  Then, the muscles in your legs start to spasm—bringing tears to your eyes.  You try to rush to the bathroom but your legs won’t cooperate.  Halfway there, your bladder gives out.  You feel so embarrassed about the mess you’ve made.  Imagine starting every day this way.  This could be your life if you had multiple sclerosis! What Is Multiple Sclerosis? A Disease Process Module: Understanding    Multiple Sclerosis IN THE KNOW The Inservice Club For Nursing Assistants © 2000 In the Know, Inc. May be copied for use within each physical location that purchases membership in the Inservice Club and/or purchases back issue inservices.  All other copying and distribution is strictly prohibited. MS affects everyone in a different way.  It depends on what part of the brain is destroyed or damaged.