Actress Selma Blair reveals MS diagnosis—What This Means For Her

On Oct. 20, actress Selma Blair revealed via Instagram that she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Currently set to star in Netflix’s original series, “Another Life,” Blair said it was during a wardrobe fitting when she felt the “deepest gratitude” for the costumer who helped her into her clothing — and she felt inspired to share about her disease.

“I have #multiplesclerosis,” she wrote. “I am in an exacerbation. By the grace of the lord, and willpower and the understanding producers at Netflix, I have a job. A wonderful job.”

When she writes that she is in an “exacerbation” phase of her condition, Blair is referring to a flare-up or attack, which causes old symptoms to worsen or new symptoms to arise.

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Blair explained on Instagram that she was diagnosed with MS “at ten thirty p.m. on the night of August 16.” She also described some of her daily symptoms as a result of the condition.

“I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken gps. But we are doing it. And I laugh and I don’t know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best.”

The “Legally Blonde” star also thanked her friends and coworkers for their support before mentioning that she has had the symptoms for years and juggled several misdiagnoses until a pinched nerve finally led a doctor to take her seriously. She added, “I have probably had this incurable disease for 15 years at least.”

What Is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic illness that affects the central nervous system. “The immune system attacks myelin, which is the protective layer around nerve fibers,” Healthline explains. “This causes inflammation and scar tissue, or lesions.”

The inflammation and lesions make it difficult for the brain to send functional signals to the body, leading to a multitude of symptoms, including fatigue, difficulty walking, numbness of legs or feet, difficulty balancing and muscle weakness.

More than 2.3 million people are affected by MS worldwide, and there is no cure for it. Treatment involves a combination of drug therapy and lifestyle changes like resting, decreasing stress, eating healthy foods and engaging in light exercise. Alternative treatments, including supplements and acupuncture, have also been used at varying success rates.

What’s Next For Blair?

Blair concluded her post by saying that she was “relieved to at least know” about her condition, and she wished her followers well. “May we all know good days amongst the challenges,” she wrote.

We wish her the best during her journey.