World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day is celebrated on May 30, and research shows that Canada has one of the highest rates of diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in the world.
According to the MS Society of Canada, more than 90,000 Canadians live with chronic disease.
Society says the diagnosis attacks the nerve fibers of a person’s nervous system, which can cause difficulty moving.
In a 2018 study by the Public Health Agency of Canada, patients also reported vision problems, weakness or clumsiness, numbness, fatigue, mood swings, and pain.
“MS is unpredictable, often occurring in a pattern of relapses and remissions,” says the Public Health Agency of Canada website.
“There is currently no cure for MS, but there are treatments available to reduce the frequency and severity of relapses and relieve the symptoms of MS.”
The MS Society says women are three times more likely to be diagnosed than men, with an average age of diagnosis of 43 years.
There are 2.8 million people worldwide living with MS.