Some people have few or no severe attacks but instead experience steady worsening of symptoms and disability over time. MS may stabilize at any time, regardless of pattern. Your first several years of experience with MS are likely to be the best guide you and your physician have to your long-term outlook. If your physician has a history of caring for other people with MS, he or she may have additional insights about your situation. Multiple sclerosis is most often diagnosed in people who are in their twenties and thirties - young adults just starting careers, starting families, starting their lives.
Women develop the disease at a rate almost double that of men.
MS occurs most commonly among Caucasians, especially those of Northern European ancestry, but people of African, Asian, and Hispanic backgrounds are not immune. It is most frequently found among people in colder climates. Studies also indicate that genetic factors make certain individuals more susceptible to the disease, but there is no evidence that MS is directly inherited. Multiple sclerosis is not contagious. Because no single test can diagnose MS, several tests and procedures are needed.