Diagnosis: Multiple Sclerosis

Coping with multiple sclerosis symptoms, attacks, and treatments

pain

It’s Hot! Dealing With Heat And Multiple Sclerosis

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Heat And Multiple SclerosisEvery summer I am amazed at the heat. Ridiculous – right? I have a virtual 2 degree window of comfort (I’m so annoying). Cold temperatures are made bearable with cardigans and blankets. Warm weather, on the other hand, seems to melt my brain. Heat and Multiple Sclerosis work together like two villains in a comic book.

Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis are notorious for heat intolerance resulting in an endless variety of possible repercussions – this is known as Uhthoff’s phenomenon (or Syndrome).  Summers may be beautiful, but they are also difficult for us.

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My First Year Of Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis

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First Year Of Multiple Sclerosis
Sara’s First MRI

My first year of Multiple Sclerosis went by so quickly.

Year one of my Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis wrapped up about a month ago (I was diagnosed December 10 2008) and I’ve been reflecting on all the randomness and misinformation about the disease. As a lot of things in my life begin to come together (I’m growing up finally!) I find myself mourning the diagnosis more now than I did initially.

No one knows what causes MS and there is no cure. The idea of the cure is threefold: 1 – prevention of the disease, 2 – prevention of further progression of the disease, and 3 – reversal of disability caused by the disease. Theories are that those genetically prone to it may have it set off by exposure to a virus (probably the Epstein-Barr virus), that is is solely due to a vitamin D deficiency, and that a vascular disorder causes a backup of blood that leads to iron deposits in the brain. At any rate, the effect is that the immune system attacks the central nervous system, destroying myelin and the nerves that it protects. About 3/4 of all those diagnosed with MS are women.

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