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How common is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis affects about 70,000 people in Britain. It is not only
common in Britain but is also very common throughout Europe and in North
America. It is less common in very hot climates and nearer the equator.

Do women get multiple sclerosis more than men?
One of the mysteries of multiple sclerosis is that there are two or three women for every man affected by the condition.

Is multiple sclerosis contagious?
MS is not a contagious disease. You cannot pass it to your friends or members of your family.

When will the doctors tell you that they think you have multiple sclerosis? Because doctors do not have a simple test that allows them to make a firm diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, they rely greatly on watching the way that a person’s symptoms progress over a period of time. They can get a little extra information from the tests described earlier, but in many cases it is only the passage of time that allows a doctor to be certain about the diagnosis. This is the reason why it sometimes seems that a doctor did not tell the person when they first suspected that they had MS. Nevertheless, doctors nowadays will discuss the diagnosis once it seems likely.

How can I tell if I’m going to get worse?
Multiple sclerosis is a very variable disease and it is always unpredictable.
Unfortunately, therefore, it is not possible to forecast at the start of the illness whether somebody will have a very mild form or a more severe type of the condition.

Will my children develop MS?
If your mother or father has multiple sclerosis then your own risk is somewhat higher than the rest of the general population. The risk of MS developing in your child is probably about one in a 100 if the father has the disease and one in 50 if it is the mother who is affected. This compares with a one in 800 risk in the general population.

Is it true that you must not have children if you have multiple sclerosis?
This is untrue. Men and women with multiple sclerosis are perfectly capable
of bringing up a family just like any other parents. Strangely, women with multiple sclerosis sometimes find that their symptoms get a little better during their pregnancy. There is, however, an increased risk of a flare-up of symptoms shortly after a child is born, but if such a relapse occurs it usually settles down with the passage of time in the normal way. There is no evidence that pregnancy has an adverse long-term effect on the course of MS.

Is multiple sclerosis a new disease?
Specialists in the history of medicine can now identify descriptions of multiple sclerosis which were written more than 150 years ago. It seems likely that the condition has been around for centuries.

What happens if I need treatment for some other medical condition?
It is always important to tell your doctor or your dentist if you suffer from any medical condition and this includes multiple sclerosis. However, if you need an operation for some other reason then there is no reason why you should not have an operation with an anaesthetic just like anyone else. In general terms having an anaesthetic does not carry any extra risk for a patient who has MS.

Will stress make it worse?
There is no evidence that stress affects the course of MS, but it is not unusual for people who find themselves in very stressful situations to experience a worsening of their symptoms. While an active, balanced and healthy lifestyle is desirable therefore, it is sensible, if possible, to avoid excessive stresses or extremes of physical exhaustion.

Can MS be caused by a road accident?
There is no evidence at all that MS can be set off by some sort of trauma suchas a road accident. However, some patients who have MS already sometimes find that their symptoms worsen for a period following an event such as a road accident.

Can I smoke and drink alcohol?
Smoking is not a good idea because of the risks to your health generally. However, there is no evidence that smoking makes multiple sclerosis any worse. Equally, there is no evidence that alcohol in itself affects MS, but excesses of alcohol should generally be avoided.

Do I need to tell my employer?
Your own medical condition is confidential and it is up to you whether or not you tell your employer. Many people have only mild symptoms that do not interfere with their ability to carry out their normal job.

Can I continue to drive?
If you have been diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis then it is important to let the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) know, since the law demands that you tell the DVLA if there is any physical or mental condition which affects your fitness to drive or might affect your fitness to drive in the future. The DVLA is in Swansea and the address can be found at the end of this booklet.

Sometimes the DVLA will issue you with a restricted licence which lasts for three years and which can then be renewed provided you remain in good health. In very many cases then there will be no restriction on your ability to drive. However, some of the symptoms that may occur from time to time in multiple sclerosis, such as weakness, lack of co-ordination, impaired vision or double vision, could, of course, affect your ability to drive a car safely. If you have any doubt at all about this you should speak to your own doctor as it is possible for special testing to be organised to check whether or not you are safe to carry on driving. If necessary, your doctor will also be able to arrange for guidance regarding special adaptations to your car to make it easier to use the controls. In general terms if you have a flare-up of the symptoms of your multiple sclerosis, you should not drive during this time.

What is the outlook for people with multiple sclerosis?
During the past 10 years scientists have made a great deal of progress in understanding more about what goes on in multiple sclerosis. Their first goal isto find some form of treatment that stops the disease from getting worse. Many experts around the world are working hard on this and doctors in general are optimistic that there will be some new treatments in the next few years. Of course, doctors would also like to have some sort of treatment which would allow them to ‘turn the clock back’, and somehow undo the damage which has been done as part of the multiple sclerosis disease process. Many experts in the field now think that this might be possible one day in the future.