What Is Multiple Sclerosis

by Chuck “Caveman” Coker

Article by Mike Selvon

The main goal of any multiple sclerosis support group is to enhance the quality of life of MS patients and provide support to their families. Living with a diagnosis of MS can be a terrifying experience that leaves the patient feeling depressed and alone.

Multiple sclerosis support can help the patient come to terms with their illness and teach them life skills that will help them deal with their symptoms safely. In this article, we’ll tell you how these support groups can help you and your family.

Many national multiple sclerosis support organizations consist of volunteers and staff that provide information and support to health professionals, employers, institutions and students, in addition to providing support to patients. Besides providing support counseling to their primary clients, an MS support group can educate caregivers, friends and families about the disease. They can also refer patients to additional support services such as self-help groups, recreation and social programs for financial assistance. Founded in 1946, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is one of the most recognized supporters of MS research in the world. They also offer extensive services to people with MS, provide professional education programs and participate MS advocacy efforts. The Society is dedicated to achieving a world free of MS and work toward this goal with extensive research geared toward finding the cause and a cure for multiple sclerosis.

This MS support group also functions on a political level by lobbying various levels of government to encourage public policies supportive of the needs of people with multiple sclerosis. The Society provides assistance to over a million people every year through partnerships with the health care community, its home office and a fifty-state network of chapters. Across the country, over 460,000 volunteers participate in events, and support programs and services to help people with MS.

The biggest challenging facing any multiple sclerosis support group is raising the funds needed to provide adequate support services to the MS community. A portion of financial support is provided by government funding and corporate contributions, but organizations mainly depend on money raised through fundraising campaigns and donations. It can be a struggle, but the funds are desperately needed to provide programs that assist MS patients, fund critical research, and finance public awareness campaigns.

Being diagnosed with MS is never easy, but there is support in the community. Your doctor or health care worker can refer you to a multiple sclerosis support group in your area. You can also find multiple sclerosis news and information online.

If you or someone you love is dealing with MS, then these incredible organizations can provide emotional support and educate you about the disease. Learning all that you can about MS will help take the fear factor out of the experience.

About the Author

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Question by Fedup: What distinguishes MS from Lyme disease?
I have MS; my 14 y.o. daughter is now having very similar symptoms, but with shooting pains and very sharp pain in her joints. She tested positive on Elisa but “negative” on WEstern blot (one band was positive). Is there a chance the Lymw test was false positive?

Thanks.

Jessica

Best answer:

Answer by xoxo
I’m not sure what MS means? Is it some kind of back or skeletal problem? I can tell you what Lyme Disease is though, I did a presentation on it. Lyme disease is caused by a bite from a tick. These tick get infected usually from animals. Lyme disease is pretty rare though, the tick has to be on you for about 10 hours to actually get you sick. Ask your daughter if she remembers taking any bug off her skin, maybe it would help. Lyme disease also causes pain and it can also cause redness where the bite has been. The redness looks like a target, I hope you know what I mean. It’s when the center is red, and then there’s just a circle of redness around it. I hope I helped.

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Article by Darren Starwynn

One of the biggest motivators bringing new patients to acupuncturists is pain. Acupuncture has a wellearnedreputation for effective pain relief without drugs, in many cases, when other methods fail.Yet even traditional acupuncture has its limits

Question by Say Say: Is there any corrolation to Perthes Disease and MS?
Patient diagnosed with Perthes Disease as a Child, symptoms subsided but patient was diagnosed with MS after a heart attack and has old symptoms of leg perthes disease. Patient has full numbness of both legs, but will still get twitches in the legs and the legs will move, just wondering if there has ever been a corrolation between MS and Pethes Disease?
thank you!!

Best answer:

Answer by D B
Hi

So much about perthes disease is unknown, but its highly unlikely.

Perthes disease is an interruption of the blood supply to the femoral head, causing it to die and be re-absorbed by the body, then regrow.

Whereas, MS is an inflammatory condition affecting nerves in the brain and spinal cord.

Many of us who have had perthes as children, do go on to have other conditions, but its probably more to do with the luck of the draw or our genetic disposition, than any actual link.

Perthes is going to leave residual damage on the femoral head, neck and possibly also the acetabulum (socket). The femoral head is usually mis-shapen to a degree (depending on the severity of the case), the femoral neck is usually widened and shortened and the acetabulum can change in shape to accomodate the newly shaped femoral head too.

I had perthes as a child and have two children with it, so have some experience of that. For my part, I have also developed fibromyalgia as an adult too. I run an online support group for adults who had perthes and also set up a website to inform people about perthes, if you are interested (link below)

Donna

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by mtsofan

Article by Jason Brown

According to the Worldwide Multiple Sclerosis Society, there are approximately 250,000- 350,000 people suffering from multiple sclerosis in the United States of America. The study further adds that every week almost 200 new cases are diagnosed. This is only for the cases that are reported. Since the multiple sclerosis is a nervous disorder with a gamut of symptoms, most of the times patients do not know about it. The disease is not as popular as its other counterparts such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. Another study depicts a unique relation of the temperature with this nervous disorder. It was found that tropical regions have only one case for every five cases of multiple sclerosis in more temperate climates. Medically, it is claimed to be an autoimmune disease. Such types of diseases affect the central nervous system of the body causing malfunction of important organs, such as the brain and spinal cord. It is caused by damage to layer surrounding nerves which leaves it exposed. In such a scenario the nervous system tends to become slow or unresponsive.

Symptoms of the disease

There is a long list of symptoms for this disease. In fact the list is so long that it can be clubbed into various heads and subtypes. Tracing a symptom back to Multiple Sclerosis is almost impossible since they represent over hundred of similar nervous disorders. In certain cases, the attack on the nervous system is so slow that the patient will not even realize it till the impact reaches massive proportions. He would tend to think that his reflexes are becoming slow due to the ageing process. Symptoms can be clubbed into the following heads and subtypes:

Muscle symptoms such as spasms, loss of control with numbness and prolonged weakness.Bowel and bladder symptoms such as constipation and loss of control in urinary musclesCommon vision problems like blurriness, double vision or loss of eye sight.Other brain and nerve symptoms comprising of reduced span of attention span, poor judgment, and memory loss, sudden mood swings and dizziness.Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis

Since the disease is caused by an eroding layer around the nerves, its treatment can only be done by either speeding the process of natural re-generation and repair or artificially building a layer around damaged nerves. Medical science has not been able to succeed in any of the above, making multiple sclerosis almost incurable. The only available relief is through slowing down the damage to the protective layers. Doctors are now coming up with treatment plans built around the aim of controlling the symptoms so that a patient may lead his normal life. This can be done via lifestyle modifications and prolonged usage of prescribed medicines. Life style changes that occur due to multiple sclerosis include the following:

Use of devices, such as wheelchairs and walkers, to assist in movementMild exercise routine to stimulate the nervous systemIntake of healthy foods which provide nutrition to the bodyAmple amount of rest and proper sleepAvoiding any kind of strenuous activities for prolonged time periods.Other than this, medication can help patients of multiple sclerosis. Doctors provide medicines containing Interferon compounds such as Glatiramer acetate, Mitoxantrone and Natalizumab. In certain extreme cases, when these drugs are not effective, experts may resort to the use of steroids also. On a more generic level, a prescription consists of medication that enables a patient to perform his daily activities. They include medication to reduce spasms and regain muscle control, and antidepressants for the control of behavioural problems, such as emotional outbursts or mood swings.

About the Author

Avonex is one of the most commonly used medicines for Multiple Sclerosis. Worldwide it has been prescribed to more than 135,000 patients to slow the onset of disability due to this ailment.

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