Most people with MS have a normal life expectancy

It causes unpredictable symptoms ranging from weakness and fatigue to total paralysis, which can wax and wane in a variety of patterns.

MS is a disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin coating of nerve fibers in the central nervous system, as well as the nerve fibers themselves. this interferes with the brain's ability to send and receive messages.

The average onset of symptoms is between 30 and 35 years old. Most people are diagnosed with MS during the prime of life years, ages 20-50.