A Newport couple have opened up about life with multiple sclerosis to help raise awareness of the condition and its symptoms.

Stuart Nixon, 59, and his wife Marie, are supporting the MS Unfiltered campaign, a national charity initiative for MS Awareness Week.

This campaign follows research by seven leading MS charities which discovered that 38 per cent of people with the condition have not sought help due to embarrassment about symptoms such as bladder and sexual problems.

More than 130,000 people in the UK live with MS, a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord.

MS Unfiltered aims to give visibility to the wide range of symptoms and everyday challenges those with MS face.

It encourages people with MS to voice their concerns and seek support.

Mr Nixon was diagnosed with MS at 18. "MS affects every aspect of our life, including our sex life," he revealed.

Mr Nixon is now in an electric wheelchair full time and only has functional use of his left arm.

He urged healthcare professionals to bring up difficult issues so people living with MS can feel more at ease discussing their problems.

Marie, an NHS practice educator, agreed, highlighting the discovery through their own experience that open and honest discussions are beneficial in managing the disquieting topics associated with the disease.

She said: "You expect a healthcare professional to raise difficult issues, like sexual dysfunction, with you first - but that sadly hasn't been our experience.

"Instead, we've found through trial and error that it helps to be open and honest about our issues with sex - and other difficult topics too."

Resrarch found symptoms have been hidden from partners by 22 per cent of people, while 49 per cent do not feel comfortable discussing sexual dysfunction with healthcare professionals.

George Pepper, co-founder and CEO of Shift.ms, also spoke about his personal experience, mentioning that discussing certain symptoms could be challenging.

This concealment can lead to chronic isolation and difficulty in accessing the necessary help.

He emphasised the need to eradicate the stigma and dismissals associated with speaking up about MS.