Multiple Sclerosis
What is it?
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms affecting vision, movement, sensation or balance. There is currently no cure for MS. The severity of the condition will differ in each individual and can range from mild to severe causing significant disability. In MS, the immune system attacks the layer that surrounds and protects the nerves called the myelin sheath, this reduces the conductivity of the nerve and messages travelling along the nerve become slowed or disrupted. Depending on which type of MS a person has the symptoms may come and go in phases or get steadily worse over time. Relapsing remitting MS causes episodes of new or worsening symptoms, known as relapses, these relapses can last for days to months but then will slowly improve over time. Primary progressive MS causes symptoms which will gradually worsen and accumulate over several years, there are no periods of remission but people will experience periods where their condition appears to stabilise. Symptoms vary widely from person to person and can affect any part of the body.
Common Side Effects Include:
- Fatigue
Difficulty walking
Visual problems
Bladder problems
Numbness or tingling
Muscle stiffness or spasms
Reduced balance and coordination
Problems with thinking, learning, planning and processing.
How Can We Help?
Cortex Physiotherapy will help you to move freely and live fully. The presentation of Multiple sclerosis will differ in each individual and will change over time. There may not be a cure for Multiple sclerosis but that doesn’t mean you should let it take control of your life. Cortex Physiotherapy cannot provide a cure for your condition but we can help you to take charge of it. Due to the progressive nature of the disease our main focus will be on symptom management and life optimisation.
We will provide treatment to manage your symptoms in order to optimise the quality of your life and will also help you to develop compensatory strategies to use what you have to achieve what you want. Improvement is heavily dependent on the individual challenging themselves and committing themselves to the rehabilitation programme provided by Cortex Physiotherapy.
Potential for improvement is something that is very difficult to determine and each individual case will be different. Cortex Physiotherapy will always have an open and honest discussion about potential for improvement and this will be regularly monitored and discussed to ensure that you and your therapist are working as a team. You will receive a full neurological examination to determine where your individual problems lie, after this you and your therapist will have a discussion about what matters most to you. Your therapist will then tailor your treatment to your goals and your journey to the life you want begins.