Living with MS — MS Glossary
Day-to-day management and concepts
E
EDSS (Expanded Disability Status Scale)
The EDSS is a scale from 0 to 10 that doctors use to describe how much MS is affecting physical function, especially walking. Lower numbers ...
H
Heat Sensitivity
Heat sensitivity is the tendency for MS symptoms to get worse when your body temperature rises. Warm weather, hot showers, fevers, and inten...
L
Lesion
A lesion is a patch of nerve damage in the brain or spinal cord that shows up on an MRI. In MS, lesions are spots where the protective coati...
P
Pseudo-exacerbation
A pseudo-exacerbation is a temporary return or worsening of old MS symptoms caused by something other than new nerve damage. Common triggers...
R
Relapse
A relapse, also called an exacerbation or flare, is a new symptom or a clear worsening of an old symptom that lasts at least 24 hours and is...
S
Spoon Theory
Spoon theory is a way to talk about limited energy when you have a chronic illness. The idea is that you start each day with a set number of...
Check out the MS Buddy App
It's free, no ads. How? It's made and supported by MS patients who get their ideas from other MS patients.
Not medical advice. Always consult your care team.