What is multiple sclerosis? Christina Applegate receives standing ovation at Emmys after diagnosis

Christina Applegate joked about her multiple sclerosis in a surprise appearance at the 2024 Emmys on Monday night (January 15).  

The Married… With Children actress, 52, was diagnosed with the degenerative condition in 2021.

On Monday night, the star received a standing ovation after walking onto stage using a stick to present the Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series award. She was escorted by host Anthony Anderson.

As Applegate approached the stage, audience members rose to their feet to applaud her.

Visibly emotional at her welcome, Applegate said: “Thank you so much. Oh my god, you're totally shaming me with my disability by standing up. It's fine.”

She then joked: “Body not by Ozempic.” Ozempic is a prescription medication used to treat diabetes. However, it has recently become a popular weight-loss method.

Applegate has largely stayed out of the spotlight after being diagnosed with a condition that affects the brain and nerves.

Here’s what you need to know about her complex condition.

What is multiple sclerosis and what are the symptoms?

Popularly known by its abbreviation MS, multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune condition. This involves your immune system mistakenly attacking your body.

It is caused by damage to the coating of a protein called myelin to and around nerve fibres in the central nervous system. This interferes with the transfer of nerve signals and messages between the brain, spinal cord, and rest of the body.

Symptoms vary in severity from person to person, depending on where and when the damage occurs. These can include fatigue; difficulty walking; blurred vision; bladder control problems; numbness or tingling; muscle stiffness and spasms; and problems with balance, co-ordination, thinking, and learning. The condition is rarely fatal but severe MS can lead to complications such as swallowing difficulties.

It’s one of the most common causes of disability in younger adults, according to the NHS. It is most commonly diagnosed in people in their 20s and 30s, although it can develop at any age. It’s also two to three times more prevalent in women than men.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society describes it as “an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body”.

What causes MS?

Experts are not exactly clear on what causes the immune system to start attacking healthy cells. However, most point to a combination of environmental factors and genetics.

Is there a cure for MS?

There is no cure, but most symptoms can be managed and treated, although life expectancy is slightly reduced in people living with the disease.

Treatments can include steroid medicines and disease-modifying therapies to slow the worsening of disability in people with certain types of the disease.

Can you work with MS?

Most people continue working long after being diagnosed with MS. However, the National MS Society says that due to the “complex and unpredictable” nature of the condition, it can have a “varying effect” on a person’s ability to work.

For more information on symptoms, diagnosis and living with MS, visit the NHS website or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.