But studies which have investigated whether stress causes MS have been mixed. Although the person with MS knows from their experience that their MS symptoms started after or alongside a stressful period of time, there is no direct evidence that stress causes MS — although it might trigger it.
Some people with MS believe they developed MS as a direct result of a stressful event or trauma in their life. But the evidence for any link isn't clear cut. Some studies do suggest an effect whilst others don't.
Studies report cases of MS beginning within two or three months of trauma, others, including the earliest association by Mendel in 1897, reported cases within a year [2]. Whilst the time course is disputed, most authors agree that symptoms develop within a year of trauma [11].
But studies which have investigated whether stress causes MS have been mixed. Although the person with MS knows from their experience that their MS symptoms started after or alongside a stressful period of time, there is no direct evidence that stress causes MS — although it might trigger it.
But no one knows exactly what triggers the immune system to attack the central nervous system. Most experts believe it occurs when a person with a genetic predisposition to MS is exposed to certain environmental conditions, such as a low vitamin D level, smoking, or the Epstein-Barr virus.
Evidence shows that low vitamin D levels, smoking and obesity all play important roles in the development of MS. Many viruses and bacteria have been or are being investigated in connection with MS as well.
Multiple sclerosis is caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves. It's not clear why this happens but it may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Family history. If one of your parents or siblings has had MS , you are at higher risk of developing the disease. Certain infections. A variety of viruses have been linked to MS , including Epstein-Barr, the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis.
As well as your mental wellbeing, anxiety can also manifest with physical symptoms, which may be similar to some MS symptoms, such as: Increase in fatigue symptoms. Disrupted sleep and appetite.
Stress Impacts All Health Conditions, Including MS
The authors also found evidence that MS relapses and stress can have a bidirectional relationship. That means that stress may contribute to the development of a relapse and an MS relapse may also cause stress.
Commonly cited MS personality changes include social inappropriateness, disinhibition, apathy, emotional lability, and impulsivity.
Unhealthy Habits. Smoking and alcohol use are modifiable risk factors — they can be altered by personal choice — and are known from large research studies to increase a person's risk of developing MS or of disease progression.
You're not born with symptoms of MS. If you develop MS it's usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. However, it can also develop earlier or later than that. There's currently no way to tell whether someone will develop MS later in life.
Disease Course of MS Is Unpredictable
A person with benign MS will have few symptoms or loss of ability after having MS for about 15 years, while most people with MS would be expected to have some degree of disability after that amount of time, particularly if their MS went untreated.
What Does MS Feels Like? A lack of feeling or a pins-and-needles sensation can be the first sign of nerve damage from MS. It usually happens in your face, arms, or legs, and on one side of your body. It tends to go away on its own.
Research is ongoing to help identify what causes the disease. Factors that may trigger MS include: Exposure to certain viruses or bacteria: Some research suggests that being exposed to certain infections (such as Epstein-Barr virus) can trigger MS later in life.
The prevalence of MS in Australia has increased from 103.7 per 100,000 people in 2017 to 131.1 per 100,000 people in 2021. This increase in prevalence is most likely due to changes in exposure to known MS risk factors.
Multiple sclerosis usually affects people between the ages of 20 and 50 years, and the average age of onset is approximately 34 years. Multiple sclerosis can affect children and teens (pediatric MS). It has been estimated that 2%-5% of people with MS develop symptoms prior to age 18.
The researchers found that over the past 25 years, life expectancy for people with MS has increased. However, they also found that the median age of survival of people with MS was 76 years, versus 83 years for the matched population.
Most symptoms develop abruptly, within hours or days. These attacks or relapses of MS typically reach their peak within a few days at most and then resolve slowly over the next several days or weeks so that a typical relapse will be symptomatic for about eight weeks from onset to recovery. Resolution is often complete.
It cannot be totally prevented, as there are some risk factors for the condition that you cannot change, such as your age and genetics. However, making some changes to your lifestyle can help reduce your risk of developing MS. For example, making sure that you get enough vitamin D in your diet and quitting smoking.
Environmental factors increase the risk of developing the MS. Factors include low levels of vitamin D, sun exposure, high cow's milk consumption and more. Research has shown that environmental factors play a significant role in your susceptibility to MS.