Each year, the month of March is recognised as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, a time designated to bring awareness to the disease through sharing insightful information from health experts and survivors.

According to an article published by John Hopkins Medicine, a governing structure for the university’s School of Medicine and the health system, coordinating their research, teaching, patient care, and related enterprise, multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-lasting (chronic) disease of the central nervous system.

This disease is classified by many health officials as an autoimmune disease whereby the body’s immune system preys on the myelin in the body, an insulating layer around the nerves which allows electrical impulses to the transmitted quickly along the nerve cells.

When this occurs it can cause damage to the body’s nervous system which can result in loss of sight, damage to the spinal cord and weakness.

What are the risk factors:

Health experts have identified some of the most common risk factors for patients developing the autoimmune disease which include:

• Family history
• Environmental factors
• Nervous system disorder
• Smoking
• Obesity

Common symptoms:

While the symptoms of MS may vary based on each patient, some of the most common symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Vision problems
• Coordination problems
• Speech problems
• Mood disturbances