Benign MS
Usually dormant or inactive for fifteen or more years. No expression of symptoms or any serious enduring disability
Relapses followed by periods of remission. Relapse: New symptoms can appear and old ones resurface or worsen. Relapses can last for days, weeks or months.
Remission: Symptoms reduces, recovery from relapses can be fully or partially and it can usually be slow and gradual or almost.
Secondary Progressive MS:
Secondary progressive MS, as the name suggests, sees a progressive increase in people’s symptoms between relapse and remission, but this progression can be very slow. Changes might be so slight that they are hard to notice for a long time.
This type of MS is characterised by a gradual progression of the disease from its onset with no remissions at all.
Genetic Link? Research has suggested a genetic link but this is not definite.
Research has suggested that MS is more common in countries further from the equator. However, the mechanism of this is not yet fully understood.