Allyson Bortoletto 3/6/14 Tara Holloway Psychology

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that immune system in your body eats the protective sheath (myelin) that covers your nerves. The damage is caused to myelin will inference the communication between brain, spinal cord, and other areas in your body. When the nerve is damaged the signals will start to slow down or stop. Definition of multiple sclerosis

There are four types: Relapsing-Remitting MS Secondary-Progressive MS Primary-Progressive MS Progressive-Relapsing MS Types of multiple sclerosis

Symptoms are vary from person to person because location of each attack are different. Some episodes could go for days, weeks, or months. It could appear in muscle, bowel and bladder, eyes, numbness or pain, brain and nerve, sexual, speech and swallowing. Loss of balance Problems walking Problems with moving arms or legs Hard time to urinate Urinate frequently Double vision Eye discomfort Vision loss Eye movements without controlling Symptoms

Face pains Muscle spasms pain Tingling or crawling or burning feeling in legs Attention span loss Poor judgment Memory loss Depression Dizziness Hearing loss Problems with erections and vaginal lubrication Slurred speech Hard time to swallow or chew Symptoms (cont.)

This kind of disease isn’t curable. Patients with multiple sclerosis are treated with medications and rehabilitation. Psychologists will provide: physical therapy- it is a exercise guidance occupational therapy- learning how to improve their functioning and independence in their home or any environment vocational therapy- guidance for patients to manage in workplace speech therapy- helps with speech and communication Psychotherapy- help patients and families to cope with multiple sclerosis Treatment and help from psychologists

Some researchers are trying to find medications that could protect Myelin cells from being damaged or help them to recover from attack. Also other medications could help brain cells to produce new myelin. These treatment are currently being tested with multiple sclerosis patients. What research is being done?

People between age 20 to 4o tend to be diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis but every age can receive it. Mostly this disease affects women than men. Doctors still don’t know what is the cause but mostly it could be received from genetics or environmental factors. Approximately 400,000 Americans and 2.5 million people worldwide are diagnosed with MS. Facts

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