What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and progressive neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system. It is an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body. Symptoms vary in intensity and type, ranging from mild to severe. Some of these symptoms include numbness or tingling in limbs, issues with balance, coordination, vision and speech problems, fatigue, bladder and bowel dysfunction and cognitive difficulties. MS can cause severe mobility issues as it progresses.
Types of Difficulties Faced by Patients
Patients with MS face a wide range of difficulties that can significantly impact their quality of life. Mobility problems are common for MS patients, due to the inflammation and damage caused to nerve pathways by the autoimmune response. This can affect their ability to walk or perform activities of daily living independently. Pain is another common symptom associated with MS; this may be due to muscle spasms or even joint pain as nerves become damaged over time. Other physical symptoms such as fatigue and exhaustion can lead to further difficulty performing simple tasks like grocery shopping or cooking meals. Cognitive issues such as difficulty focusing, impaired memory and slowed responses are also experienced by many people with MS. The emotional toll of living with an unpredictable illness like multiple sclerosis is significant; some patients experience depression, anxiety or mood swings due to the changes they must make in their lives because of the condition.
