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At What Age Do MS Patients Die?

Reviewed on 1/3/2022
Multiple sclerosis (MS) has a reduced life expectancy of 7 to 14 years compared with the general population. More than half of people with MS die due to the disease itself, while other MS complications may be a cause of death in others.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) has a reduced life expectancy of 7 to 14 years compared with the general population. More than half of people with MS die due to the disease itself, while other MS complications may be a cause of death in others.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks and damages the myelin sheaths that surround nerve cells, disrupting their connections in the brain and spinal cord. This causes a wide range of symptoms.  

Types of multiple sclerosis include:

  • Relapsing-remitting
    • The most common type of MS
    • Symptoms come and go
    • An attack or relapse is a flare-up of symptoms that can last days to weeks 
    • In between attacks, people may feel normal
  • Primary progressive
    • Symptoms steadily worsen from the onset
  • Secondary progressive
    • Symptoms come and go at first but eventually worsen
  • Progressive relapsing 
    • Symptoms steadily worsen, along with attacks that come and go

Patients with MS have a reduced life expectancy of 7 to 14 years compared with the general population. Long-term disability due to MS is not necessarily the immediate cause of death. While more than 50% of MS patients die due to the disease itself, systemic complications in the advanced stages of the disease such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, infectious and respiratory disease, and accidents or suicide are also causes of death.

What Are Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis?

19 Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) can be mild, moderate, or severe and may include:

  • Numbness, tingling, “pins and needles” feeling
  • Muscle weakness or spasms
  • Loss of coordination 
  • Loss of balance/falls
  • Difficulty walking or speaking
  • Fatigue
  • Vision problems
  • Eye pain
  • Unusual eye movements
  • Dizziness
  • Spinning sensation (vertigo)
  • Bowel or bladder problems
  • Sexual dysfunction 
  • Sensitivity to heat (may worsen symptoms)
  • Trouble thinking clearly
  • Memory problems
  • Mood swings

Children may have seizures and extreme fatigue in addition to the symptoms above.

How Is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Diagnosed?

There is no single test that can diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS). If MS is suspected, tests that can help confirm a diagnosis include: 

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Lumbar puncture (also called a “spinal tap”) 
  • Evoked potentials (or evoked responses) tests electrical signals in the brain and spinal cord
  • Optical coherence tomography 
  • Blood tests to rule out other conditions that can cause symptoms similar to MS

In many cases, MS is only diagnosed after observing symptoms and comparing test results over time. 

What Is the Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis?

Treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) may vary depending on the type of MS that is present. 

Treatment for MS attacks includes steroids to reduce inflammation.

Disease-modifying therapy medications can help reduce flares and can help slow down progressive MS:

Other medications can be used to treat specific symptoms of multiple sclerosis, such as: 

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Reviewed on 1/3/2022
References
Image Source: iStock Images

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/multiple-sclerosis-in-adults-the-basics?search=Multiple%20Sclerosis&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1

https://www.nationalmssociety.org/

https://www.mssociety.org.uk/about-ms/types-of-ms/relapsing-remitting-ms

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/multiple-sclerosis-ms/relapsing-remitting-multiple-sclerosis

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3770174/