What can someone with MS expect toward the end of life?
It's completely understandable to think about this, and many people in the MS community share the same concern. As one MyMSTeam member put it: "I have a very real fear that MS will shorten my life drastically." The good news is that MS itself is not directly fatal Show Full Answer
What can someone with MS expect toward the end of life?
It's completely understandable to think about this, and many people in the MS community share the same concern. As one MyMSTeam member put it: "I have a very real fear that MS will shorten my life drastically." The good news is that MS itself is not directly fatal, and life expectancy has been improving thanks to better treatments.
On average, people with MS may live around 5 to 10 years less than the general population, though this gap is narrowing over time. Rather than MS itself, complications from the disease tend to be the more common causes of death. These can include:
- Heart and vascular disease (such as stroke or heart attack)
- Respiratory infections like pneumonia
- Urinary tract infections that spread into the bloodstream
- Injuries from falls
The type of MS you have can also influence your outlook. People with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) generally have a better prognosis than those with progressive forms. There are meaningful steps that can help extend and improve quality of life:
- Taking disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) — studies show they can delay disease progression by several years
- Eating a nutritious diet
- Staying physically active
- Not smoking
- Keeping up with regular medical check-ups and screenings
As one MyMSTeam member wisely shared, "MS isn't a death sentence, but a life sentence. It's important to keep moving and stay around positive people who lift your spirits." 💙
July 20
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