Jack Kost: Multiple Sclerosis News Today

Showing posts with label Multiple Sclerosis News Today. Show all posts

Monday, November 20, 2017

A to Z: Explaining 35 of the Most Commonly Used MS Terms:

by Cheryl Woodman

In Social Clips.

Multiple Sclerosis News Today

November 16, 2017

Walking into your doctor’s office can feel like walking into another world. Are they speaking English? Do they understand you? Have they correctly diagnosed your symptoms with the relevant medical terminology? What is extremely personal to you, suddenly feels clinical. Terms like ataxia, diplopia and hemiparesis are flying around. You feel frustrated, confused and worried.

This list of most commonly used MS terms will help push you past these emotions, empowering you to take proactive control of your diagnosis.

Ataxia: A phrase used to describe the inability of your brain to voluntarily coordinate and control your muscles. When experiencing ataxia you may sway, stumble and slump.

Autoimmune disease: MS is a type of autoimmune disease. All autoimmune diseases have the same cause, a perception of the body to see itself as a foreigner. When foreign matter is identified your immune system is activated. Therefore in autoimmune conditions your body attacks itself.

Axon: The part of a nerve that sends electrical impulses or “information” to surrounding tissues.

Babinski sign: An abnormal response to the Plantar reflex which is triggered when a blunt object is stroked down the sole of your foot. The normal response is a curling of your foot. The Babinski sign is the opposite, it’s an upward flexing.

Bell’s Palsy: Facial paralysis.

Chronic: MS is often described as chronic. A condition or illness that is experienced for a long time and may also be constantly recurring. The opposite of this phrase is acute.

Contracture: A descriptive for permanent muscle or joint shortening as a consequence of your muscles and tendons remaining too tight for too long.

Diplopia: Double vision.

Dysesthesia: Abnormal sensations which can be created by touch or may appear spontaneously. If you experience dysesthesia you’re likely to feel sensations of burning, itching, wetness, pins and needles or even electric shocks.

Dysarthria: The inability to speak normally or pronounce words properly. Dysarthria occurs when the muscles that produce speech are affected by the progression of your MS.

Foot drop: A side effect caused by damage to a specific collection of nerves responsible for movement of your forefoot. You’ll often hear this referred to as a gait abnormality which simply means a change to your way of walking.

Hemiparesis: Having weakness throughout one side of your body.

Hemiplegia: The experience of complete paralysis throughout one side of your body.

Interferons: A type of protein naturally made by your body that when released tells neighbouring cells to attack a sensed virus or bacteria, triggering your immune system.

Myelin/Myelin Sheath: A protective fatty substance that coats many of your axons, the part of a nerve that sends communications.

Demyelination: Damage caused to the protective coating of myelin found within your nerves.

Myelitis: An inflammation of the spinal cord causing an interruption of nerve communications to your body. Paralysis and sensory loss are common symptoms of myelitis.

Neuron: A nerve cell whose job is to send and receive information through electrical signals. Your nerve cells work together in an expansive network collectively triggering you to move and to experience sensations.

Nystagmus: Nicknamed as dancing eyes, nystagmus is the involuntary movement of your eyes.

Oligodendrocytes: A type of cell responsible for creating the fatty and protective myelin sheath your body uses to protect specific portions of all nerves.

Optic neuritis: Optic refers to your eye sight and neuritis describes the inflammation of the nerve. Hearing these two words together describes a symptom of MS often leading to disruptions of your vision.

Plaque/lesion: The medical term used to describe scars appearing in the white matter of your brain and spinal cord. The parts responsible for sending communications. These plaques occur as your body attempts to repair the nerve damage being caused by MS.

Paraparesis: Weakness in your lower body.

Paraplegia: Paralysis of your lower body.

Paresis: A weakening of the muscles in any part of your body.

Paresthesiae: A feeling that seems to have no cause. Pins and needles is the most commonly experienced, similar sensations that may feel like tingling or prickling are also signs of paresthesiae.

Sclerosis: The Greek word for hard, sclerosis describes the stiffening of your body’s tissue. In multiple sclerosis, the phrase is used to describe the formation of plaques or lesions.

Spasticity: Hear this word quickly and you might hear plasticity. The two words have a lot in common. Spasticity is used to describe the opposite of an object that’s referred to as having plasticity. It’s specifically the stiffening or tightening of your muscles leading to problems with movement and speech.

Trigeminal Neuralgia: A stabbing or burning sensation experienced on the side of your face. It’s a consequence of damage to a specific nerve called the trigeminal nerve which is found in your brain.

T-cell/T-lymphocyte: A specific type of cell that forms a vital part of your immune system. T-cells help to create inflammation and kill neighbouring cells they perceive as foreign. This is important when your body uses it appropriately but when you have MS, your body uses these processes to attack itself.

Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2017/11/16/az-explaining-35-commonly-used-ms-terms

In support of Multiple Sclerosis research:

http://www.nationalmssociety.org

http://msfocus.org

https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com

http://mymsaa.org

http://positivelivingwithms.com

https://mssociety.ca

https://stumblingprincess.com

http://www.msra.org.au/

Twitter hashtags:

#MS

#MultipleSclerosis

#fums

#mseducation

#msawareness

#curems

#mymsme

#MSwarrior

#MSstrong

#fightms

#MSAwarenessMonth

#stumblingprincess

#OMS

#WalkMS

#WalkTogether

#WeAreStrongerThanMS

#mssucks

#movingmountainsforms

#lesion

#myelin

#demyelination

#disease

#brain

#vertigo

#cure

NEVER GIVE UP!

Friday, November 17, 2017

3 Tips for Explaining MS to Others:

by Mike Knight

In Columns

MS in Motion – A Column by Mike Knight.

Multiple Sclerosis News Today

November 15, 2017

Face it: Understanding MS isn’t easy — even if you have it. There’s no known cause, no cure, no predictability in progression, and while there are common symptoms and manifestations, they affect everyone differently. Some symptoms come and go with no rhyme or reason and often those who have MS show no outward signs of the disease.

All of this can make it hard to explain this potentially debilitating disease to other people in your life — if you want to disclose that you have it at all (and there are legitimate reasons to be hesitant about doing so). Further compounding the challenge, many people know little about MS and may be prone to confusing it with other scary afflictions (and some people simply don’t want to understand scary afflictions). Just sharing that you have MS may be a bombshell in and of itself.

But, sooner or later, it may be in your best interest to help others understand. Here are a few tips to help make that happen:

1. Know your audience. For starters, lots of people know very little about MS. After all, there are about 7.6 billion people in the world. According to the American Academy of Neurology, about 2.3 million of them have MS. So chances are good that you’re going to have to some explaining to do.

Think about who you are telling what, and if possible, the best way to share that information. Some people will respond better to a brochure, others to a video or a website, still others may want to accompany you to a seminar. There are even specially created videos, brochures and newsletters for explaining MS to the children in your life — don’t be surprised if they’re just as useful with adults, too.

2. Easy does it. “I could get super scientific and describe demyelination, but most people don’t have the attention span for that,” MS patient Julie Loven says in an article at Healthline.com.

Find and use a basic explanation, and then wait to see if the person you’re sharing with asks questions about the disease before diving any deeper. Here’s mine: “The central nervous system is like a system of electrical cords that allows my brain to send messages to my nerves, which control my body and its functions. A fatty tissue called myelin covers those cords like insulation and ensures complete message transmission. For unknown reasons, my body’s immune system is attacking the myelin, which means parts of my body don’t function properly anymore.”

Though this video was made for children, the explanation is straightforward — and pretty endearing, too.

Once you settle on a basic explanation, write down the points, find someone you trust, and practice. Then practice again!

3. Be prepared. For anything. “Most people either think you are getting ready to die or you’re very sick,” Loven says. While MS may be debilitating and sometimes disabling, that’s not always the case. Still, it is a very serious disease and some people react very emotionally.

A few years back, I had to let someone go from the department I ran. Our company’s HR person attended that meeting to ensure it was handled properly and to offer moral support. With her she brought three glasses of water, one for her, one for me and one for the person I was about to fire. Her reason? “Drinking water helps people control crying,” the HR manager told me. Though crying is a perfectly human response, it could derail the conversation and make a tough conversation even more difficult.

For many reasons, some people you tell may simply not want to hear — or believe — what you’re sharing with them. According to “Disclosure: The Basic Facts,” a brochure from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, “Our society prizes health and is often not tolerant of difference and imperfection.” Some people won’t be able to handle the truth. Be patient with them and when appropriate, try to share simple examples of how MS affects you and your life to further enlighten them.

Some won’t ever understand, no matter what you say or do. Sometimes explaining won’t be worth your time or effort. Remember, just because you have MS doesn’t mean you don’t have a life to live. So keep moving … and keep living!

Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.

https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2017/11/15/ms-introductions-3-tips-to-help-you-in-explain-multiple-sclerosis-to-others

In support of Multiple Sclerosis research:

http://www.nationalmssociety.org

http://msfocus.org

https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com

http://mymsaa.org

http://positivelivingwithms.com

https://mssociety.ca

https://stumblingprincess.com

http://www.msra.org.au/

Twitter hashtags:

#MS

#MultipleSclerosis

#fums

#mseducation

#msawareness

#curems

#mymsme

#MSwarrior

#MSstrong

#fightms

#MSAwarenessMonth

#stumblingprincess

#OMS

#WalkMS

#WalkTogether

#WeAreStrongerThanMS

#mssucks

#movingmountainsforms

#lesion

#myelin

#demyelination

#disease

#brain

#vertigo

#cure

NEVER GIVE UP!

Friday, September 22, 2017

9 Ways Multiple Sclerosis Affects Your Body From Head to Toe:

by Wendy Henderson

Multiple Sclerosis News Today

In Social Clips.

September 19, 2017

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic illness that presents many different symptoms since it can affect any part of the human body. While no two people living with MS will experience the same symptoms, according to healthline.com, there are some more common ways the condition affects the body.

Brain

Cognitive issues such as brain fog, memory and concentration problems are common for people living with MS and many experience vertigo or dizziness. In rare cases, patients may also suffer from tremors or seizures.

Eyes

Vision problems are often one of the first signs of MS. Double vision, blurred vision and eye pain can come on suddenly but in most cases, they are temporary and are due to inflammation of the muscles around the eye and can be rectified with medication.

Ears

In rare cases of MS, damage to the brainstem may result in hearing problems or deafness. Again, the majority of cases are temporary but some may suffer permanent damage to hearing.

Mouth and throat

Around 40 percent of people living with MS may experience problems with speech, usually slurred speech or trouble articulating. Some may also have trouble controlling the volume of their speech. Rarer still, some people may experience problems with swallowing which can be serious as it can lead to choking. Speech and language therapists can help with both speech and swallowing problems.

Arms and legs

The limbs are most likely to be affected by multiple sclerosis, with patients suffering from a variety of ailments such as pain, numbness, and tingling. Both fine and gross motor skills are involved as hand-to-eye coordination may be affected and many will suffer from balance problems or have difficulty walking as the disease progresses.

Bladder and bowel

Nerve damage can lead to problems controlling the bladder and bowel. Bladder problems are extremely common in MS affecting around 80 percent of patients. Bowel problems such as constipation, diarrhea and lack of bowel control can sometimes be managed through diet and exercise but in some cases, medication or surgery may be required.

Reproductive system

There is no evidence that suggests MS affects fertility in men or women. And for women, many find that their MS goes into remission during pregnancy. However, between 20 percent and 40 percent will relapse after they have given birth.

Sexual dysfunction is common in MS, this could be due to a variety of reasons both physical and emotional. Nerve damage, fatigue, general pain and the effects of depression can all have an effect on a person’s libido. However, these can often be overcome with some medication or a little bit of planning.

Skeletal Structure

The regular use of steroids and lack of exercise puts multiple sclerosis patients at a higher risk of osteoporosis. Exercise is important to help keep bones strong and healthy and to avoid excess bone density loss. People with multiple sclerosis are also more likely to be deficient in vitamin D, which plays a vital role in bone health.

Heart

Researchers have discovered that women with MS are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular problems than those without the condition. Regular exercise and a good diet are essential to help avoid problems such as stroke, heart disease or heart failure.