Understanding SPS 

Stiff person syndrome is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that most commonly causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and can worsen over time. However, some people experience other symptoms such as an unsteady gait, double vision or slurred speech. SPS symptoms are thought to be related to which type of SPS a person has.

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Although there is no treatment that cures stiff person syndrome, working with a specialist and maintaining symptom control can make it easier to live with the condition.

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SPS most commonly develops in people ages 40 to 50, but in rare cases, it occurs in children and older adults. SPS is thought to affect four to five people in a million. However, SPS experts now consider the syndrome to be a spectrum of disorders, which means it is likely more common than originally thought, although still rare.