MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults most frequently during the career and family building years. In a healthy nervous system, a message from the brain telling the arm to pick up a glass, for example, travels in a slit second. But if the central nervous system is damaged by MS, the message may be slowed, or not even get through. MS attacks myelin, which is the insulating cover of the central nervous system. The myelin becomes inflamed and may be replaced by scar tissue. Messages are now slowed or blocked. This can lead to problems in seeing or speaking, extreme fatigue, loss of balance, weakness, numbness or
loss of coordination. The symptoms often come and go over a period of
time in most cases. In extreme cases, the symptoms never go away and
eventually lead to quick deterioration and permanent loss of all motor functions.

MS FACTS:
Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world.
MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada.
Every day, three more people in Canada are diagnosed with MS.
Women are twice as likely to develop MS as men.
MS can cause loss of balance, impaired speech, extreme fatigue, double vision and paralysis.
MS was first identified and described by a French neurologist, Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot, in 1868.
We don't know what causes MS but researchers are closer to finding the answer