Multiple Sclerosis Regional Program
VA Houston is committed to supporting Veterans with Multiple Sclerosis to live a full and productive life, offering a complete spectrum of health care services.
About Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a complex neurologic disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS) which includes the brain, spinal cord, and vision pathways. In MS, the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, the fatty tissue that surrounds and protects nerve fibers, as well as the nerve fibers themselves.
This damage is called demyelination and the scar tissues that develop when myelin is damaged are called sclerosis, also known as lesions or plaques. When any part of the myelin sheath or nerve fiber is damaged or destroyed, nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain and spinal cord are distorted or interrupted, causing a wide variety of symptoms.
Sometimes the myelin can repair itself and the MS symptoms go away after the immune attack, or relapse. However, over time, the myelin and underlying nerve fibers cannot recover and suffer permanent damage. This may lead to a decline in function depending on the disease course.
Multiple Sclerosis care
The VA’s MS health care team is here to:
- Support Veterans and their family,
- Work with Veterans to improve their overall health,
- Introduce Veterans to medications and strategies to help them manage their MS and the symptoms associated with MS, and
- Help Veterans achieve their physical, psychological, vocational, and social goals.
Our MS health care team works with Veterans and their families to develop an individualized plan for managing Veterans' health. We encourage Veterans to learn as much as they can about MS and actively engage in their care.
Multiple Sclerosis clinic
VA Houston MS Clinic has been designated a Regional Program within the VA MS Centers of Excellence national network of MS Regional and MS Support Programs.