Multiple Sclerosis
Managing Multiple Sclerosis
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Living With It and Managing the Disease
The mysterious disease called Multiple Sclerosis has no boundaries; it infects people of all genders and nationalities. Although very little is known about the cause of this debilitating sickness, scientists and doctors are recognizing some patterns that may eventually lead to an answer. MS (Multiple Sclerosis) is a crippling disease that can change a person’s life significantly, but there are many treatment options and massive amounts of information available to help people who are diagnosed with MS manage the disease and still live a relatively normal life.
According to the National MS Society, The number of women that develop this disease is more than double the amount of men that develop it FAQ’s About MS, 2010). Doctors have speculated that the levels of hormones in a woman’s body may play a part in the development of the disease. Physicians base this theory on the fact that more women than men develop the disease. This statement holds true with the women in my family. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to meet my grandmother, because she died from a very rare case of MS. Currently my aunt is living with MS and it has become so debilitating that she can no longer work. The daily battle she is fighting with her symptoms has now become a full time job.
Although MS occurs in most ethnic groups, it is more common in Caucasians and people of Northern European ancestry (FAQ’s About MS, 2010, para 4). Brodsky (2006) indicates that “MS rates are higher in the United States, Canada, and Northern Europe than in other parts of the world” (Brodsky, 2006, para 3). Studies have also shown the further away from the equator a person lives the more likely they are to develop the disease (FAQ’s About MS, 2010). This leads experts to believe
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Living With It and Managing the Disease
The mysterious disease called Multiple Sclerosis has no boundaries; it infects people of all genders and nationalities. Although very little is known about the cause of this debilitating sickness, scientists and doctors are recognizing some patterns that may eventually lead to an answer. MS (Multiple Sclerosis) is a crippling disease that can change a person’s life significantly, but there are many treatment options and massive amounts of information available to help people who are diagnosed with MS manage the disease and still live a relatively normal life.
According to the National MS Society, The number of women that develop this disease is more than double the amount of men that develop it FAQ’s About MS, 2010). Doctors have speculated that the levels of hormones in a woman’s body may play a part in the development of the disease. Physicians base this theory on the fact that more women than men develop the disease. This statement holds true with the women in my family. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to meet my grandmother, because she died from a very rare case of MS. Currently my aunt is living with MS and it has become so debilitating that she can no longer work. The daily battle she is fighting with her symptoms has now become a full time job.
Although MS occurs in most ethnic groups, it is more common in Caucasians and people of Northern European ancestry (FAQ’s About MS, 2010, para 4). Brodsky (2006) indicates that “MS rates are higher in the United States, Canada, and Northern Europe than in other parts of the world” (Brodsky, 2006, para 3). Studies have also shown the further away from the equator a person lives the more likely they are to develop the disease (FAQ’s About MS, 2010). This leads experts to believe