How do you describe MS to someone?

Multiple sclerosis is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the protective covering of the nerve cells in the brain, optic nerve and spinal cord, called the myelin sheath. And this sheath is often compared to the insulation on an electrical wire.

How do you explain multiple sclerosis to someone?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance. It's a lifelong condition that can sometimes cause serious disability, although it can occasionally be mild.

How do you explain multiple sclerosis to a family?

Tell them how much support you want and how they can best support you. Explaining the symptoms of MS can be tricky in that others may not be able to see how it affects you. Describing certain symptoms that stem from feelings and relating them to everyday things can help you connect, especially with children.

How do you explain MS fatigue to others?

How do you explain MS fatigue to family?

What Is MS? How Do You Describe It? | Emily Reilly Explains Multiple Sclerosis

How does MS affect a person's daily life?

More than 50% reported limitations in daily activities due to fatigue, physical weakness, problems with balance/coordination, heat/cold sensitivity, memory problems, numbness/tingling, trouble concentrating, impaired movement/muscle stiffness, and impaired sleeping.

Which symptom present in MS patients is the most difficult to address?

Fatigue, weakness, and imbalance were more severe for respondents with progressive forms of MS than for people with relapsing-remitting MS. Generally, respondents with greater mobility limitations reported worse fatigue, weakness, numbness, and pain.

Does MS make you gain weight?

MS fatigue, steroid therapy, and depression can all lead to unwanted weight in people with MS. Though these factors are not your fault, you owe it to yourself to take control of your weight. Overeating can increase MS symptoms or health conditions, such as: fatigue.

Does MS drain your energy?

Fatigue is the most common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). It occurs in 75 percent to 95 percent of patients with MS. Fatigue can occur at all stages of the disease. The symptom is not related to the severity or to the duration of MS.

Does MS show up in blood work?

Blood Tests: Currently, there are no definitive blood tests for diagnosing MS, but they can be used to rule out other conditions that may mimic MS symptoms, including Lyme disease, collagen-vascular diseases, rare hereditary disorders and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

What is sclerosis in simple terms?

(sis-TEH-mik skleh-ROH-sis) A disease that is marked by hardening and thickening of skin, connective tissue that surrounds other tissues and organs, and blood vessels. Also called systemic scleroderma.

How do you explain MS to spouse?

Talk about how the diagnosis makes you both feel

MS is unpredictable and incurable. You and your partner may experience strong emotions. The challenge may be to share your thoughts and emotions with your partner in a constructive way so that you can begin to face them together. Know that it's OK to cry, too.

How do you describe MS pain?

Neuropathic pain happens from “short circuiting” of the nerves that carry signals from the brain to the body because of damage from MS. These pain sensations feel like burning, stabbing, sharp and squeezing sensations. In MS you can experience acute neuropathic pain and chronic neuropathic pain.

Is MS hard to live with?

Living with MS can be difficult. The condition is unpredictable, and symptoms come and go. This can make it hard for a person — and those around them — to know what is going to happen.

Should I tell people about my MS?

The decision to tell someone that you have MS is a personal decision. You are under no obligation to tell anyone that you are living with the disease. If you do share with someone, how you share it with them can make all the difference. If you are scared and emotional, it may spark the same reaction in them.

What triggers MS?

Multiple sclerosis is caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves. It's not clear why this happens but it may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Does MS mess with your memory?

Problems with memory and thinking - also called 'cognitive problems' - can affect people with MS, but most people will be affected mildly. Some people find it harder to find the right words, to concentrate or to recall things quickly.

Does MS cause forgetfulness?

COGNITIVE ISSUES. These issues include difficulty with memory, concentration, and problem solving, which many people refer to as “cog fog.” Memory loss is the most common mental change in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). It can occur at any time in the course of your MS.

Does MS make you feel cold all the time?

Some people with multiple sclerosis find that cold temperatures make their symptoms worse. It doesn't have to be extreme cold, it could be a light breeze or getting caught in the rain on a summer's day.

What does heat do to MS patients?

Many people with MS experience a temporary worsening of their symptoms when the weather is very hot or humid, or when they run a fever. These temporary changes can result from even a slight elevation in core body temperature (one-quarter to one-half of a degree).

Does exercise help multiple sclerosis?

People with MS can benefit from at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least three days a week. For someone with MS , exercise that's too aggressive can bring on severe fatigue and injury and exacerbate symptoms.

What can trigger MS flare ups?

What is the number one symptom of MS?

Numbness of the face, body, or extremities (arms and legs) is often the first symptom experienced by those eventually diagnosed as having MS.

What is the strongest known risk factor for MS?

The strongest known risk factor for MS is infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Compared with uninfected individuals, the hazard of developing MS is approximately 15-fold higher among individuals infected with EBV in childhood and about 30-fold higher among those infected with EBV in adolescence or later in life.

What is the most common presentation of multiple sclerosis?

Fatigue. Fatigue is one of the most common symptom of MS, reported by at least 75% of patients with the disease.