NASCAR driver Trevor Bayne diagnosed with multiple sclerosis | CNN

Actress Selma Blair was diagnosed with MS in 2018 but said her symptoms started after the birth of her son in 2011.

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Comedian, actor, and voice actor Jonathan Katz said he initially began experiencing MS symptoms in 1996.

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images

TV personality Jack Osbourne was diagnosed with MS in 2012, just weeks after the birth of his daughter.

Larry Busacca/NARAS/Getty Images

"Sopranos" actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, 34, revealed that she has multiple sclerosis in People magazine. She told the magazine she was diagnosed with the disease when she was 20.

Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Art of Elysium

NASCAR driver Trevor Bayne announced that he was <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/12/health/trevor-bayne-multiple-sclerosis/index.html">diagnosed </a>in 2013. The chronic disease affects the central nervous system, often causing pain, numbness in the limbs and a loss of vision.

NASCAR driver Trevor Bayne announced that he was diagnosed in 2013. The chronic disease affects the central nervous system, often causing pain, numbness in the limbs and a loss of vision.

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Actress Teri Garr was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. Garr might be best known for her roles in the iconic 1980s films "Mr. Mom" and "Tootsie."

Columbia Pictures Industries

It has been more than 15 years since musician Clay Walker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He says he's learned to <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/07/health/human-factor-walker/">manage his condition</a> by eating a healthy diet, exercising and taking his medication.

It has been more than 15 years since musician Clay Walker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He says he's learned to manage his condition by eating a healthy diet, exercising and taking his medication.

Ethan Miller/ACMA/Getty Images

Josh Harding, formerly a goaltender with the NHL's Minnesota Wild, was diagnosed with MS at the age of 28.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Singer Alan Osmond, left, and his son David Osmond both live with multiple sclerosis.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1997.

Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images

Talk-show host Montel Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. Williams said then that he had been misdiagnosed for 10 years.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Noah "40" Shebib, a Canadian hip-hop producer who has collaborated with artists such as Drake and Lil Wayne, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in his early 20s.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

David Lander, left, who played Squiggy on TV's "Laverne & Shirley," hid his diagnosis for 15 years "primarily because I didn't think show business would embrace the fact that I have a chronic disease known as multiple sclerosis," he said in a 2001 interview with CNN.

ABC Photo Archives/ABC/Getty Images

Ann Romney, wife of former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, was diagnosed with MS in 1998.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Ten years ago, singer Tamia Hill was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She has recorded four albums since.

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Chris Wright was the first-known NBA player with multiple sclerosis. The former Dallas Maverick now plays professionally in Israel.

Brandon Wade/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT/Getty Images

Famous people with multiple sclerosis

Story highlights

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system

Doctors have cleared Trevor Bayne, 22, to compete, his racing team says

There is no cure for MS, but patients can manage symptoms with medication, healthy lifestyle

CNN —

NASCAR driver Trevor Bayne has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, according to his racing team.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system, often causing pain, numbness in the limbs and a loss of vision. Symptoms vary by patient and can disappear for months at a time, making it difficult to diagnose early on.

Doctors have cleared Bayne, 22, to compete, said a statement by Roush Fenway Racing.

“I am in the best shape I’ve ever been in, and I feel good,” Bayne said. “There are currently no symptoms and I’m committed to continuing to take the best care of my body as possible.”

Bayne was the youngest driver in NASCAR history to win the Daytona 500 in 2011. He said he plans to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship in 2014.

Daytona 500 fast facts

Scientists do not know what causes multiple sclerosis, according to the Mayo Clinic, although a person’s risk increases if a family member has the disease.

Women are more likely than men to develop the disease, and it affects Caucasians more than other ethnic groups. More than 2.3 million people worldwide have been diagnosed, according to the National MS Society.

With MS, the body’s immune system destroys a fatty substance called myelin that protects nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This causes communication problems between the brain and body, according to the Mayo Clinic, and may damage the nerves permanently.

There is currently no cure for MS. Doctors focus treatment on managing the patient’s symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease with medication, physical therapy and an overall healthy lifestyle, such as getting plenty of sleep and eating right. Stress can trigger MS symptoms, so patients often do yoga or meditate to relieve anxiety.

As the disease progresses, patients may experience extreme fatigue, balance problems and muscle weakness. Occasionally MS will lead to partial or full paralysis. It is not normally fatal; most patients with MS have “a normal or near-normal life expectancy,” the National MS Society says.