There are a lot of MS myths and misconceptions out there.
And because it is such an individualized disease, a lot of these myths get over-exaggerated to the point of
Well, my friend's sister's sister's daughter has MS and she needs a wheelchair. So, you must too.
Not necessarily true.
I hear things like this all the time. In person, by phone, email, and social media. It's frustrating.
Here's a
good list of common myths associated with MS. Some of them more true than others.
For me, there is zero family history of MS, or even anything auto-immune.
I like this article because it touches on pregnancy and breast-feeding with MS, which has been a huge fear and unknown for a lot of people. But I also want to mention a few other common myths. MS is not contagious. There
are different types of MS. You don't get MS because you are unhealthy or inactive. There is no control over it. MS is not the same as Parkinson's Disease or ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), even though there can be similar or overlapping symptoms.
I am not surprised that MS is on the rise. And it is interesting that the relative percentage of women with MS, compared to men, is rising to levels never seen before. That touches on, and perhaps credits, the involvement of hormonal factors.
Generally, because of earlier diagnosis, better healthcare, and better treatment plans, MS no longer holds the same connotations it did decades ago.
