Many Celebrities Living With MS Struggled To Get Diagnosed For Years

Christina Applegate. Selma Blair. Jack Osbourne. In addition to their fame, these celebrities all share something else in common: They've been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

MS impacts the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves, which together make up the central nervous system and controls everything we do, according to The National MS Society. One of the most challenging things about the disease is that it looks very different in each patient. Symptoms can range from numbness and tingling to mood changes, and even blindness, the society reports.

In fact, while more than 2.1 million people struggle with MS, a diagnosis can still take years, or in some cases, even decades, to pin down—something many celebrities with MS have spoken candidly about over the years. And, there is still no “cure” or universal treatment plan for the disease.

While little is definitively known about what causes this autoimmune disorder, researchers have noticed patterns among the afflicted. MS is most common in areas farthest from the equator and is actually three times more common in women than in men, the society shares. White people are more likely to be affected, though cases have been reported across all races. MS is typically diagnosed between the ages of 20 to 50.

While an MS diagnosis is no doubt daunting, new medications and treatments mean that many people with the disease can lead successful and fulfilling lives—as each of these celebrities has proven.