March is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month!
The Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation is partnering with the MS Society to bring awareness about this disease. Stay tuned all month long for information about MS and ways to live well with a MS diagnosis.
What is MS?
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society defines MS as an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system (CNS). It affects the brain and spinal cord which make up the CNS.
What Causes MS?
The cause of MS is still unknown, but scientists are learning more about environmental factors that may be risk factors for developing the disease. Things such as distance from the equator, vitamin D, smoking, and obesity are all believed to be contributing factors.
Who Does MS Affect?
MS can affect anyone. In fact, nearly 1 million people are living with multiple sclerosis in the United States. But research has found that rates are higher among women. According to the MS Society, at least two to three times more women than men are diagnosed with the disease. Most who are diagnosed with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50.