How did I get this?
I assume this is a question anyone diagnosed with MS has asked. There's no clear answer yet. It's thought that people have a genetic susceptibility which, when triggered by an environmental trigger (e.g., virus), causes the disease. If it's immune-related like it's thought to be, somehow the immune systems gets miswired into attacking the body's own central nervous system (specifically, the myelin sheath which is the protective covering around nerve cells).
Some general facts about MS:
-Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, often times in their 20's and 30's.
-MS runs in families sometimes, but not always.
-MS is more prevalent in certain geographic areas.
-MS affects more people with European ancestry, although other backgrounds are affected as well.
-MS affects nearly twice as many women as men.