Multiple sclerosis

For a lay person:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term condition in which the immune system damages the protective covering of nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms vary widely and often come and go: numbness, weakness, vision problems, fatigue and balance difficulties.

For a trained medical person:

An immune-mediated demyelinating disease of the CNS, usually relapsing-remitting at onset. Diagnosis uses the McDonald criteria (dissemination in time and space on MRI, CSF oligoclonal bands). Disease-modifying therapies reduce relapses and progression; early neurological care is important.

In Chinese medicine:

Maciocia's account of MS is his own, built on atrophy syndrome (痿證). He relates it chiefly to Dampness and Phlegm obstructing the channels against a background of Spleen, Liver and Kidney deficiency.

When to get help: Get urgent care for sudden loss of vision, new weakness, or loss of bladder control.