What Is Multiple Sclerosis

Living with Multiple Sclerosis involves a myriad of issues that will affect your family. These include:

financial

social

emotional

physical

employment

housing

How you deal with them is unique to your situation, just as your MS is different from everyone else’s. You need to think about each issue and make decisions along with your loved ones as to what is best for you and your family.

Keywords: multiple sclerosis, ms, financial issues, social issues, emotional, physical issues, family,

Financial Issues

Raising a family as we all know, is hard enough nowadays as a healthy person. When you or a family member has MS, everyday can be a challenge. Family finances can be strained to the limit when health care costs come into the picture. And if you have always been the sole income earner or even the second income:

What do you do if you can no longer work?

Have you looked into working at home as an option?

Have you thought about another retraining for another career that is less stressful or physical?

Again, preparation is the key. Expect the best, but prepare for the worst. Make sure your finances are in order. Begin now to make plans for the future. Even if you never become disabled, being prepared is still a good thing. It definitely can’t hurt.

Emotional and Physical Issues

Managing the stress of daily living as well as your symptoms can sometimes be difficult on your own. The emotional and physical issues associated with MS may eventually require the help of professionals. It’s not a sign of weakness to know when you may need a little help. Making the ultimate decision to turn to a professional is best made with the help of your family and your doctor.

To deal with physical issues, your doctor may suggest a physical or occupational therapist, or both depending on your needs. Emotional issues may range from cognitive problems to severe depression. Cognitive impairment may be helped by daily planning, learning memory tricks and organizing. The treatment for severe depression may be medication and or professional help. There is help available, so you don’t need to suffer needlessly.

Employment Issues

If you have gotten to the point where you feel you can no longer work, then what happens next?

Does your job know that you have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis?

If so, have they made every reasonable accommodation to help you keep working if you want to? The Americans with Disabilities Act has put several laws in place to deal with these issues. Learn about your rights and what is available to you.

If you have health insurance, is there a disability clause?

Will it be enough to cover your health needs and expenses if and when you decide to stop working?

These types of questions should ideally be asked before you let your employer know and if possible even before you receive your MS diagnosis. That way if you need to make changes to your insurance you can do so before you become disabled and are no longer able to work.

If you have made the decision to stop working, and know that you won’t have insurance, the question of Social Security Disability Insurance is an inevitability. Applying for it and getting approved can be a daunting task. It doesn’t have to be. Doing your homework before you leave work, will make working through this task a whole lot easier.

Find out everything, and I mean everything, that will be required and follow it to the letter. Answer every question on the application truthfully and thoroughly. Follow-up with your doctor to make sure they have submitted everything they need to submit. If you are not approved the first time, try again. And above all, don’t give up. You will succeed.

Social Issues

Depression and loneliness can become a big problem if you have limited mobility and no longer feel like going out. Many people with MS, have led active lives and while some can continue to do so, others just can’t. There are several ways to get around this issue.

First of all, are there support groups in your area?
Have you joined your local National MS Society?
For those of you who have stopped working, what do you do with your time?

They are a great source of information and support for events happening in your area. If you have a computer and internet service, get on-line. There are many support groups and several chat rooms where people with MS get together regularly.

If you are still mobile, (and about 75% of people with MS will never need a wheelchair), consider doing yoga or some other exercise to stay healthy. The MS clinic in our area offers a water exercise class, yoga, and a Tai Chi class as well. All of these are geared toward multiple sclerosis patients and people with limited mobility. So whether you can walk or even if you can’t, there are ways to be involved in these types of classes. You can learn something new and meet new people in the process.

Housing Issues

Accessible housing may be something that you may never need to worry about. But our little mantra comes into play in this area, too. Expect the best, but prepare for the worst. It won’t do for you to have a dream house planned for your retirement that has multi-level living. If you become disabled to the point where you can no longer navigate the stairs, what will happen then?

Plan your dream home for this eventuality and include things like wheelchair ramps, accessible bathrooms with grab bars and kitchens with easy to reach counters and cabinets. Wide open spaces, hardwood floors, tiles, or Berber carpeting, are just a few of the other things you may want to consider when planning your home. Condominiums may also be a good choice so that yard work won’t be an issue.

As you can see, living with MS brings up a myriad of challenges that you as a person with multiple sclerosis will inevitably deal with from day to day. But living with MS is not impossible to do. Watching my husband live with this disease has taught me a lot of things. One thing stands out. It may not always be easy, but people with MS have the strength and determination to live fulfilling lives in spite of having multiple sclerosis.

Question by sasa: is there any benefits of sports in multiple sclerosis?
i want to know what types of sports could be of benefit & at what stage of multiple sclerosis?

Best answer:

Answer by Ambergreeneyezz
My mom has MS and she likes swimming because it makes her feel light and no stress on her body.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Question by adurham48134: does MS cause spinal problems without any other symptoms other then what was thought to be a bulging disc?
I had an EMG and for=und no nerve damage. I have been in therapy for six weeks and have found some relief but my symptoms keep coming back. The cervical spine is unstable and the muscle tone in my body is extremely poor. Could this be the onset of MS

Best answer:

Answer by rose j
o quote a famous show host strength training is best for the people with MS so start light and see what Chane’s you made in the way you move Good Luck

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

First recognized in 1868 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot (1825-1893), Multiple sclerosis or MS is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system, leading to the degeneration of the myelin sheath which protects the nerves of the brain and spinal cord.

Characterized by irregular improvements and worsening of symptoms, MS with an average age of onset of 34 years is a major cause of chronic disability in young adults. The disease affects more women than men and is twice as likely to occur in Caucasians as in any other group.

Cause of Multiple Sclerosis
The exact cause of the condition is unknown but MS is believed to be the result of a complex combination of environmental, genetic, and autoimmune factors.

Emotional stress, fatigue, overwork, pregnancy and acute respiratory infections have been known to precede the onset of MS. A new epidemiological study from Denmark demonstrates that people with Diabetes Type 1 are more then 3 times more likely to also develop the disease than people without diabetes.

A family history of Ms and living in an area with a higher incidence of the disease (northern Europe, northern USA, southern Australia and New Zealand) increases the risk.

Diagnosis
Multiple sclerosis can be difficult to diagnose since its signs and symptoms may be similar to many other medical problems and can often come and go, sometimes disappearing for months and in fact a misdiagnosis of psychiatric problems is common. An MS diagnosis is made by the history of symptoms and a neurological exam, often with the help of tests such as an MRI or a spinal tap.

Tests to diagnose multiple sites include: Cerebrospinal fluid tests, including CSF, oligoclonal banding, head MRI scan, Lumbar puncture, nerve function study and a Spine MRI. Abnormal EEG findings occur in a third of patients and the white blood cell count may be elevated.

Types of Multiple Sclerosis
There are four main types of the disease: relapsing or remitting, primary progressive, secondary progressive and progressive relapsing.

Signs and symptoms
Signs may be transient or they may last for hours or weeks. They may wax or wane with no predictable pattern, vary from day to day and be difficult for the patient to describe.

Because nerves in any part of the brain or spinal cord may be damaged, patients with multiple sclerosis can have symptoms in many parts of the body. MS can cause problems with muscle control and strength, vision, balance, sensation, and mental functions.

Early symptoms of the condition include weakness, tingling, numbness, and blurred vision. Incontinence, emotional swings, poorly articulated speech and sometimes quite bizarre symptoms are common. People with severe cases of may lose the ability to walk or speak and usually.Most patients have severe skeletal abnormalities and excessive muscle tensions.

Treatment
There is no cure for but treatment can slow the progression of the disease and reduce the number of relapses. Medications used to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis may include: Immune modulators to help control the immune system, including interferons, monoclonal antibodies, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone , methotrexate, azathioprine , cyclophosphamide , and natalizumab.

Steroids may be used to decrease the severity of attacks. Researchers are now also testing a vaccine that seems to halt the progression of the disease.

Taking vitamin D supplements helps prevent osteoporosis or slow its progression and may help slow the progression of multiple sclerosis. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the use of a new technology known as LifeWave patches can be very helpful.

Physical therapy, speech therapy occupational therapy and support groups are also useful while planned exercise programs help maintain muscle tone.

More Ms Disease Articles

There is new hope for patients who suffer from multiple sclerosis, as a drug initially developed to treat a form of leukemia may stop the progression of the debilitating neurological disease. More at www.eyeroo.com

There are scientific advancements that look promising for preventing and even reversing Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis is one of the most common diseases of the central nervous system. MS is an inflammatory demyelinating condition. Myelin is a fatty material that insulates nerves, acting much like the covering of an electric wire and allowing the nerve to transmit its impulses rapidly. It is the speed and efficiency with which these impulses are conducted that permits smooth, rapid and co-ordinated movements to be performed with little conscious effort.

In Multiple Sclerosis, the inflammatory response produces any number of symptoms including blurred vision, weakness, numbness, dizziness, tremors, slurred speech, bowel and bladder problems, sexual impotence in men and paralysis.
MS usually occurs in people between the ages of twenty-five and forty, and twice as many women as men suffer from. MS may be the quietest epidemic in the country. It’s on the rise, but it garners few headlines.
Recent figures released by the MS Society estimate the annual cost of MS in the US at billion, higher than the cost of asthma (about billion) and all infectious diseases (nearly billion) despite a much higher incidence of those conditions. More than 500,000 Americans have MS and the United States and Canada have one of the highest national rates in the world.

The myth of not knowing the cause or the cure for Multiple Sclerosis is repeated year after year, drummed into the collective mind of the public and those suffering from MS. Unfortunately the vast majority of those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis are doomed by the ignorance that is fostered by the medical/pharmaceutical system.
In reality, extensive research reveals that proliferation of Multiple Sclerosis in society is a direct manifestation of our changed lifestyles. When people around the world experience similar problems, it’s not a random incident but a methodical process spreading across cultures and borders.
Recently I read a report on how most of these problems could be cured after scientific experiments. Imagine the joy someone would feel being able to move about freely, and not having to depend on others to do basic things like walking, or going to the toilet on their own.

This scientific program has helped many, and it gives everyone hope of a new beginning although at this stage it’s not sure whether it can cure it altogether.

As this is a natural cure, can you imagine how much the drug companies are going to loose, and it’s so new your Doctor probably wouldn’t have heard about it. I have read many testimonials from people who call it a miracle cure, and they are looking towards Doctor Robert O Young as a God after his scientific breakthrough.
The basis of his findings is that people’s diets and lifestyles in the Western world are so different from the way they were only 100 years ago. You see, our lifestyle choices have gotten us into this mess. We need to make the right choices to get us out.

The fact is the exponential increase in Multiple Sclerosis is really the result of the way our lives have changed. The bad news is we are used to living a certain way now and it isn’t easy to change. The good news is that change is in our power and with it better health.

Hence Multiple Sclerosis is NOT a life threatening condition. Everyday now more and more people are finding that they can actively reverse their Multiple Sclerosis .

Multiple sclerosis is actually characterized by the disruption of the normal functioning of the peripheral nerve connections of the spinal cord and brain. It is a complex disease which is idiopathic, meaning that its cause remains unknown. This further means that multiple sclerosis is not easily prevented nor cured.

What is considered as compensation is the finding that multiple sclerosis is generally not a lifethreatening disorder. There are existing treatment methods that are able to successfully control the disease’s underlying symptoms. It is through these treatment modalities that the development of multiple sclerosis can be slowed and those with complaint are given chances to live active and normal lives.

The disease process of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is believed to occur mainly because of the destruction of the myelin. Myelin a substance made up of adipose that insulates the nerve cells. Apart from providing protection for the tissues and the nerve cells, the myelin also serves as a facilitator in transmitting nerve impulses all through out the body.

When there is demyelization, the nerve tissues harden and the whole nervous system becomes damaged. It is the impairment of the nervous system that leads to the wide variety of multiple sclerosis symptoms.

Multiple sclerosis can actually be classified according to two characteristic groups which are  relapsing – remitting type plus chronic – progressive type. The latter classification is further divided into three, primary – progressive, secondary – progressive and progressive – relapsing. These classifications are made according to the frequency and the intensity of the generated symptoms, including the disease’s rate of progression.

The relapsing – remitting type

This is the most ordinary form of multiple sclerosis. It majorly affects persons who are young or middle-aged. This type’s major characteristics are soft and tend to occur only in flares. It is after the short duration of the symptomatic flare-ups that remission occurs, thus producing unperceivable symptoms for a couple of weeks up to months.

The remission phase usually occurs naturally but the use of immunosuppressive medications can hasten the duration and the occurrence of its periods. Usually, after the remission phase has completely passed, a short relapse time follows. The relapse is commonly characterized by the strengthening of the disease’s general symptoms.

The chronic – progressive type

Multiple sclerosis cases are slow in progressing and do not involve spontaneous remission phases. This type predominantly affects those who are forty-five years old and above. Twenty percent of those with multiple sclerosis have the chronic – progressive type.

The primary – progressive subtype

The primary – progressive multiple sclerosis comprises of a predictable pattern of development. The aforementioned subtype gradually evolves without having any periods of remission. This subtype is commonly comprised of approximately ten percent of those who are definitively given the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

The secondary – progressive subtype

The secondary – progressive subtype affects half of those who are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, specifically the relapsing – remitting type. This subtype is usually involved with flare-ups that are also associated with some periods of remission.

The progressive – relapsing subtype

This last subtype of the chronic – progressive type of multiple sclerosis is actually a very rare form. Although this subtype is gradual in its progression, it is compensated with having only short periods of symptomatic flare-ups.

Question by spickett_3229: where do people get ms treatment in mexico?

Best answer:

Answer by lucky lucciano
Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia.

Hope you meant Multiple Sclerosis.

Give your answer to this question below!

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Therapeutic Claims in Multiple Sclerosis

Since the publication of the first edition, there have been numerous trials of treatment conducted in many countries in an effort to find an effective therapy for MS. Several of these treatments have been reported to have a positive effect in reducing the frequency of attacks or in slowing progression in well-designed studies. This is a summary of new developments in the field of multiple sclerosis research and therapy, written by members of the Therapeutic Claims Committee, a group of physician

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