Finding Accurate Information About MS

Q:  A friend with multiple sclerosis (MS) is being constantly bombarded with new information about its causes and cures. How much of this is really accurate?

A:  Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive degenerative disease that results in the loss of the outer covering of major nerves akin to stripping the insulation from electrical wires. The cause is unclear, with some indication that it may be to a malfunction in the body's immune system.

Because the course of the disease is characterized by unpredictable bouts of improvement and worsening, its sufferers are vulnerable to medical quackery and its unscientific theory of cause and cure.

The best your friend can do is develop an alliance with a neurologist familiar with MS and a good primary care physician, both of whom making themselves available for questions regarding "new" information about this disease.

"Your Health" provides easy-to-understand information about common health conditions.