Find expert answers to your health questions

Multiple Sclerosis Foundation

Our Mission

The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (MSF) provides a comprehensive approach to helping people with MS. We strive to motivate, educate, and empower people with MS to maintain their health and well-being.

The MSF offers a wide array of free services including national toll-free support, educational programs, homecare, support groups, assistive technology, publications, a comprehensive website, and more to improve the quality of life for those affected by MS.

Our resources assist people who have MS, their families and caregivers, regional support groups, and healthcare professionals. Access to our programs and services is available through our interactive web site or our national, toll-free helpline staffed by caring caseworkers and peer counselors. Our priority is to serve with empathy, resourcefulness and responsibility.

All MSF services, as well as information, literature and subscriptions to our publications are provided free of charge.



Activity

  • Alan Mandel
    Alan Mandel is now following Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
  • Karen Tucker
    Karen Tucker is now following Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    What are the specific screening recommendations for all adults?
    The following are recommended health screening tests for adults:
    • Complete eye exam: At least once between 20 and 29, twice between 30 and 39, every two to four years between 40 and 64, every one to two years after age 65.
    • Mole exam: Monthly mole self-exam, by a doctor every three years starting
    ...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    Where can I find information on my family medical history?
    To find your family medical history information, you may want to consult family documents, such as existing family trees, baby books, old letters, obituaries, or records from places of worship. Public records- - birth certificates, marriage licenses, and death certificates -- are usually available...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    What can I expect during a lumbar puncture?
    Usually during a lumbar puncture (LP) -- also called a spinal tap -- the person will lay on their side with their knees pulled up towards their chest. Sometimes, the test is done with the person sitting up, but bent over. The healthcare provider will clean the back and inject a local anesthetic to...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    How can a multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse after childbirth be prevented?
    Postpartum administration of intravenous (IV) steroids significantly reduced the incidence of relapses in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a study conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Of the 52 women in the study, 39 received postpartum IV steroids (methylpr...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    What are the types of multiple sclerosis (MS)?
    There are four types of multiple sclerosis (MS): relapsing-remitting, relapsing progressive, secondary progressive, and primary progressive. Most people are diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS. With this form of MS, people have exacerbations which cause temporary neurologic problems such...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    How should I plan a summer wedding if I have multiple sclerosis (MS)?
    Summer weddings mean heat, and since many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are intolerant of heat, it is a major consideration when choosing a wedding date. Rising temperatures can cause numbness, fatigue, and blurred vision to suddenly appear. Spring and fall are obvious recommendations,...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    What is pruritis in multiple sclerosis (MS)?
    One of the rare but not unheard of symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) is pruritis (itching), which can be included in the category of sensory abnormalities known as "dysesthesias." Because this type of itching is neurologically based, it does not respond to topical treatments like those...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    What should I consider when planning my wedding if I have MS?
    Nothing will ruin your wedding experience faster than burning yourself out if you have multiple sclerosis (MS). Many people forget that "their wedding" includes all the time necessary to plan the big day! Part of your plan should be time to meet both practical needs and impractical pampering....  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    What is a good yoga exercise to do if I have multiple sclerosis (MS)?
    A yoga exercise for people with multiple sclerosis is the Angel Breath pose. The goal of the Angel Breath pose is to coordinate your breath with movement.

    Begin by sitting comfortably in a chair with your feet planted firmly on the floor, hip-width apart, and your hands resting gently in...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    What is radiologically isolated syndrome in multiple sclerosis (MS)?
    Researchers who followed people whose brains showed evidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) during magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) taken for other reasons -- such as migraines or head trauma -- found that nearly a third went on to develop MS during the study period, even though they showed...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    How can I relieve constipation from multiple sclerosis (MS)?
    Constipation is common in multiple sclerosis (MS). One of your medications could also be to blame. Talk with your pharmacist to see if constipation is a side effect for any of the drugs you are taking and about any alternative medications.

    It also is important to gently accustom your body...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    What is the self-management philosophy for people with multiple sclerosis?
    Self-management is a philosophy of chronic disease management that acknowledges that living with multiple sclerosis (MS) is an ongoing experience. And it has been found to be an empowering strategy to improve health and reduce negative impacts of symptoms for people living with many different...  Full Post
  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answered:
    What are side effects of pulse steroid therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS)?
    Side effects of pulse steroids have not been extensively examined, but a study of the use of pulse methylprednisolone in rheumatoid arthritis showed that some people experienced significant bone loss after six months. More recent research of pulse steroids and multiple sclerosis (MS) showed...  Full Post