What is MS?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a life-altering diagnosis that affects more than 2.1 million people in the world and over 400,000 in the U.S.? It?s an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and the body.? With MS, it is believed that the immune system attacks the CNS, in turn resulting in the formation of dense scar-tissue around nerves.? The name multiple sclerosis means ?many scars?, stemming from the idea that the scar tissue formation occurs in many places throughout the CNS.
Who gets MS?
Most people that are diagnosed with the disease are between the ages of 20-50.? Women are two times more likely to be diagnosed than men, especially during childbearing age.? If someone in your family has MS, your risk of getting the disease increases.? There is no direct hereditary factor for MS; however it is suspected that genetics plays a role in the development of the disease.? Other factors that affect the development include but aren?t limited to, geography, ethnicity and infection.
What are the symptoms of MS?
The disease affects every individual differently, varying in progress, severity and symptoms, depending on where the damage has occurred.? Many symptoms are considered to be ?invisible?, making it difficult for those that do not have MS to understand the detrimental impact they have on life.? Most common symptoms include fatigue, vision problems, walking/balance difficulties, vertigo, pain, numbness, bladder/bowel dysfunction, and spasticity.? Less common symptoms are hearing loss, speech disorders and breathing problems.? Symptoms may come and go, or may have a more lasting effect.
Is there a cure?
Sadly, not yet.? However, research continues to progress each year towards finding a cure for MS.? There are FDA-approved ?disease-modifying? medications that slow down the course of MS, as well as many therapeutic treatments that help manage the symptoms.? Even though the symptoms can range from mild to severe, the majority of them can be managed with a combination of medications, rehabilitation, self-care techniques and assistive devices.? If you have MS, speak with your physician about the right treatment for you.
Living with MS.
Physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists and cognitive remediation specialists are all part of the rehabilitation process for people with MS.? The focus is all on function ? to help improve or maintain a person?s quality of life, by addressing problems of overall health/fitness, energy management and cognitive functions.? For more information about multiple sclerosis, please visit multiplesclerosis.com or nationalmssociety.com.
About Brooke Pedersen, DPT
Brooke Pedersen, DPT is a physical therapist at Physiotherapy Associates off Jolly Rd. in Lansing, Michigan.? She has her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Central Michigan University, and is a member of the Sports Physical Therapy Section of the American Physical Therapy Association.
Source: http://www.michiganpic.com/2011/featured/multiple-what/
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