Selma Blair and 5 Signs You Might Have MS

MS, also known as multiple sclerosis, is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord systems. This can make it difficult to move, walk, or talk. MS also can damage your nervous system. Actress Selma Blair opened up about having MS in 2019, and has put her disease front and center in a new documentary, Introducing, Selma Blair, in theaters now and streaming Oct. 21 on Discovery+. MS has signs and symptoms, so if you or a loved one experience any of these, make an appointment with a doctor. Read on for 5 of them.

1. Numbness or Weakness in Limbs

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According to the Mayo Clinic, a common sign of MS is feeling numb or weak, specifically in your limbs. The official post on the Mayo Clinic’s website tells people to look out for “Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs that typically occurs on one side of your body at a time, or your legs and trunk.” Selma Blair said in a New York Times interview that a key moment for her was when she suddenly lost feeling in her leg, while modeling in a runway show, and says that she has trouble walking in certain areas. "I can walk better in my house, but outside it's like a sand pit," she said. Blair has been seen using a cane to support her while on the red carpet.

2. Trouble with Movement

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MS affects the spinal cord and causes nerve damage, which makes it difficult for someone to move. The Mayo Clinic cites that tremors are a common symptom of MS, and that certain neck movements can be difficult.

3. Loss of Vision

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MS patients will experience different types of vision problems. This can span from blurriness, to seeing double. However, some patients will experience vision loss, usually only happening in one eye. “Patients describe it as ‘looking through smudged sunglasses’ on one side,” Robert Bermel, MD says to The Cleveland Clinic.

4. Dizziness

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Another symptom of MS is dizziness, which can affect someone’s movement and vision. ​​“With MS, dizzy spells can cause you to have trouble walking down a hallway, for example, because your sense of equilibrium is so off,” Dr. Bermel says.

5. Slurred Speech

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MS will cause speech problems, often resulting in slurring words. Actress Selma Blair says that she deals with slurred speech and other problems, and this made her nervous to do public interviews. "I was a little scared of talking,” Blair says to Good Morning America. "Even my neurologist said this will bring a lot of awareness because no one has the energy to talk when they're in a flare-up, but I do, because I love a camera!" Blair also said in the New York Times, “With certain light, my speech becomes intermittent even though my larynx is fine. It never occurred to me that there's a traffic jam that happens in my brain."

Selma Blair is celebrating her health! The actress and multiple sclerosis advocate enjoyed a recent getaway to Golden Door health spa in California, looking absolutely gorgeous and glowing in a black swimsuit. “A week of health and healing in a golden place,” she captioned the series of stunning snaps. “I wanna go there!! And btw You look absolutely vibrant and gorgeous,” remarked Juliette Lewis. “Gorgeous,” added Kendra Wilkinson. What are some of the 49-year-old’s most inspirational musings? Read on to learn about Selma Blair’s journey—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bikini Photos!

1. She Revealed Her Diagnosis in 2018

In October 2018 Selma first revealed in an Instagram post that she was battling MS. “I have #multiplesclerosis . I am in an exacerbation,” she wrote. “I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things.” "Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system)," says the Mayo Clinic. "In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body. Eventually, the disease can cause permanent damage or deterioration of the nerves." Now in 2021, she says she's in a good place:

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2. She Rocked Her Cane with Pride

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Selma made a major statement when she hit the red carpet of the Vanity Fair Oscar Party with a custom cane. The actress was successful in normalizing a cane not only as a health necessity, but an accessory, showing it off whenever she got a chance.

3. She Filmed a Documentary About Her Journey

Selma has been completely transparent about her health, documenting all of the ups and downs and sharing her symptoms with fans. In October, a documentary about her journey, Introducing Selma Blair, is coming to discovery+. “It can be very isolating when you get some diagnosis, for some people. For me, it wasn’t. It brought me out more. Because before I just thought I was batshit [crazy]. Which could still be the case, but batshit openly with MS and being symptomatic at times,” she told Deadline. “My humor’s a bit sticky… Like Carrie Fisher said, ‘If it wasn’t funny then it would just be true…’ I do like humor and sometimes very inappropriate [humor] and I ask everyone’s forgiveness as I go on this journey in life. Oh, I’m sure I’ll be cancelled many times.”

4. She Became Comfortable in Her Body

Selma learned how to be comfortable in her body. “I am aware my challenges affect other hopeful or isolated people—and a few of them may be joyful snobs like me,” Blair told Town & Country. “I’m very comfortable in my body, mostly because I am now making a deeper positive connection with it. I am fascinated by this body and this life. I am humbled and pleased to be any inspiration for people.”

5. She Is In Remission

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In August 2021 at the Discovery+ TCA panel, in which she discussed her upcoming documentary Introducing Selma Blair, she revealed she was in remission. "My prognosis is great. I'm in remission. Stem cell put me in remission," she said. "It took about a year after stem cell for the inflammation and lesions to really go down." She hopes that everyone can learn from her health journey. "To hear even just me showing up with a cane or sharing something that might be embarrassing, it was a key for a lot of people in finding comfort in themselves and that means everything to me," she said. "I'm thrilled that I have some platform. In no means am I saying that I'm speaking for all people in this condition or any condition of chronic illness, I'm speaking my story and I that helps normalize one thing to open the door for other people to be comfortable in telling their stories. I'm thrilled to have this here."

Selma Blair has become a leading face of wellness, ever since, after an MS diagnosis, she refuses to back down, researching her illness (which is reportedly in remission) and getting herself out there to discuss it. The Dancing With the Stars star works constantly, writing a powerful memoir (Mean Baby) and espousing a healthy lifestyle. As if to prove it, she dipped into her ice bath in a new swimsuit photo. "Let's get this day started!!!" she captioned it. "Cold pool." How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Selma Blair stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

1. This is Her Take on Wellness

"In my own search for wellness, I have realized some essentials. Feeling so unwell for much of my life, I could be quite ‘full on’ with attaining physical health in the past. I compartmentalized. I paid attention to the aspects of wellness that would get me feeling physically lighter, like gut cleanses and nutrition—using food as medicine. But it’s been feast or famine not having the stamina because of undiagnosed MS and POTS. Now that I am recovering, I have embraced the physical with the emotional, mental, financial, spiritual, and social [aspects of] wellness,” she told Coveteur.

2. This is How MS Changed Her Approach to Living

“I stopped looking in a mirror when alopecia gnawed out my eyelashes on one eye and bald patches took root (or lack of) on my head. So that part of my wellness took a hiatus. Prednisone, chemo, and lack of some taken for granted coordination were a hit to my beauty routine. The effort of even getting out of a bath was too much. When I tried applying makeup, my unruly fingers and blurry vision made long brushes, liquid liner, and eyelash application impossible for me then. That time let me free some ego and embrace being the best I could be as a person,” she told Coveteur.

3. Writing Her Book Was Cathartic

“When some of the stories I carried around started to feel like an old shirt I could no longer button but wanted to save in a drawer for someone else, I felt I finally had to start writing again. My stem cell transplant was the catalyst. [It was] a reckoning. Writing these junk drawers into some organization was a heavy task for me. After mom died, and I could no longer rely on old goals, a wish to send out a white flag to the world of readers was very present. I feel as if my grown-up days have fully been realized,” she told Shondaland.

4. Books are Her Inspiration

“Books have been a constant ally in my life. I have dear friends, but fatigue makes me a loner. I tend to be very expressive, even a bit bonkers ridiculous sometimes, [when] making new friends. I want to experience as much as I can! Connecting has been the salve to fear or sadness more than I care to admit. But there you have it,” she told Shondaland.

5. She Likes Her Cold Pool

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“Little tricks move the needle for me more now. I stopped my constant coffee drinking all day in lieu of this sports tea used by climbers. I have a tablespoon of sea moss jelly every morning and evening. I must swim as much as possible, in the ocean or in my cold pool. [First thing in the morning] I jump in; I need the shock,” she told Coveteur.

Selma Blair is channeling Belinda Carlisle – in her swimsuit. The actress shows off her beautiful body in a white bathing suit in one of her latest social media posts. “Mad about you,” she captioned the Instagram clips. “[Video Description: Selma has bleached blonde hair and is wearing a white bathing suit while in and around a pool with her dog Scout.]” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Selma Blair stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Changed Her Relationship with Food and Exercise

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Selma maintains that going on Dancing with the Stars revamped her approach to health. She swapped out Cheetos and charcuterie with fueling meals and exercise. "It changed my relationship to food and exercise," she told Self. "I had energy and I slept well."

2. She Also Learned Self-Acceptance

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She added that going on the show also helped her with self-love. "It rewired me to find acceptance in being honest about my faults, about my past addiction, and about my problems," she told Self. "It made me more empathetic towards myself."

3. Her Dog Is Part of Her Support System

Selma reveals that her dog is part of her support system: “He’s actually my real service dog. It’s unbelievable. It’s embarrassing sometimes,” she told Self. “It feels like I’m dating the guy from the football team. Like I finally have a cute boyfriend.”

4. She Prioritizes Wellness

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"In my own search for wellness, I have realized some essentials. Feeling so unwell for much of my life, I could be quite ‘full on’ with attaining physical health in the past. I compartmentalized. I paid attention to the aspects of wellness that would get me feeling physically lighter, like gut cleanses and nutrition—using food as medicine. But it’s been feast or famine not having the stamina because of undiagnosed MS and POTS. Now that I am recovering, I have embraced the physical with the emotional, mental, financial, spiritual, and social [aspects of] wellness. COVID isolation years have been a mirror, showing me that calming my nervous system really does involve so many areas of wellness. Writing, horseback riding, or even having my service dog as my ever-constant companion, help me focus and breathe. I have lassitude and extreme fatigue, so self-motivating is a challenge. I am proud that I can manage a lifestyle where my animals can give so much comfort and energy, so I can feel supported while raising my son. It took many years and a diagnosis to stop the treadmill of searching behind closed doors. Perspective and wellness are [both] reassuring,” Selma told Coveteur.

5. She Gets Massages

"I am in the process of learning rituals that work for me. My wellness routine definitely involves makeup, cleansers, and lymphatic massages to move all the groggy cellular debris that wind up in my jowls,” Selma told Coveteur. She also rides her horse, drinks “more water than I ever dreamed of,” keeps her movements “smaller and more fluid by playing and working on training with my dog is a big part of keeping me moving and grounded. Little tricks move the needle for me more now. I stopped my constant coffee drinking all day in lieu of this sports tea used by climbers. I have a tablespoon of sea moss jelly every morning and evening. I must swim as much as possible, in the ocean or in my cold pool. [First thing in the morning] I jump in; I need the shock."