DIAGNOSE THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS)
Unlike other diseases, there is no test that can directly detect the 'positive or negative' for MS and tests are available to assist physicians in diagnosing, no one can be 100% sure of the diagnosis.
This means that eventually the doctors will diagnose MS by combining observation of symptoms that occur in a person and rule out other possibilities. It is called 'Clinical Diagnosis'.
Issues in Diagnosis
Unfortunately for the small number of MS patients (10-15%), it is not possible to obtain a definitive diagnosis, even after undergoing tests with a variety of test kits available. However, it could be a very important rule out the cause of the symptoms of MS are the other type, and if followed by periodic inspection and supervision on changes in patient condition, then in many cases, the diagnosis may be determined at a later date.
New Criteria for Diagnosis of MS
International Medical Council of Scientific and MSIF has concluded a new criterion for the diagnosis of MS in helping doctors distinguish between MS from other diseases that can display the same symptoms. This new criterion involves the results of the MRI scan, so it is possible to diagnose MS even if someone just showed one episode of symptoms alone. With the new criteria, a person can be classified as having MS, possible MS, or not MS.
Clinical diagnosis
MS at an early stage can be seen as a history of the disease with vague symptoms, which can appear sporadically over a period of time and can often be associated with a medical condition other. The symptoms are not visible and the subjective nature often difficult to communicate with doctors and health experts in the diagnosis and unfortunately the very early stages, less sympathetic treatment still is common for people with MS.
Although a person shows symptoms of MS type with a classic pattern, these symptoms should certainly meets the criteria before a doctor or neurologist can diagnose 'definite' MS clinically. These criteria are: 'Two different areas in the developing central nervous system, and these attacks occur in at least two different occasions and at least within an interval of one month, and the person is within the normal age range to get a MS attack'. Thus, although it may be a person diagnosed with 'definite' MS on the first visit to the neurologist, there is still the possibility that the diagnosis is not clear, and that the person will be referred to undergo a series of further testing.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Many people with MS said that they need to make plans ahead of time than usual and they did before they had to change some of the activities and their schedules. If fatigue is a problem, for example, some of the short rest periods each day can help you continue your routine work, but with a slightly slower tempo.
Physical Exercise
Physiotherapy and regular exercise can help keep your fitness as possible. You and your doctor may be able to discuss what therapy or exercise programs are good for you. Perhaps having physiotherapy on a regular enough or do specific exercises at home. Many people who feel that swimming, yoga, and riding will help. Any exercise that you enjoy and can make you feel comfortable will be useful. In addition to maintaining good muscle tone, exercise can be a good way to release tension and to relax. Local and national MS society you can offer recreation or exercise programs that can help, or recommend facilities or health workers to provide these activities.
Dietary
Over the years, has filed a number of diet for MS, which may only been done for a disease with no known cause or cure. Others with recommended diets and contradict each character, will make more sense if you do nutritionally balanced diet will ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals needed. Some people feel that a diet low in animal fats and high in unsaturated fat is helpful to them. It would be better to discuss any changes in your diet with your doctor or dietitian.
Work planning
Because MS over time can lead to physical and cognitive disability, it is natural for you to evaluate your work in realistic conditions with regard to the possibility of change. If your job is very physically demanding, you may want to consider alternatives for another job or trying to reduce the physical activity of your work. For other jobs that are sedentary, physical limitations you may not be a great impact and you may be able to keep working for many years to come. Career advisers and specialized training may be available in your country.
Changes in Family
One of the problems that are very difficult to overcome for married couples after a diagnosis of MS is the possibility of change in their respective roles. In the future, this possibility should be seen together. A family that has income from two sources may have to learn to live with just one source of income. One of the couple may need to take additional responsibility for doing homework and taking care of the children. Full and open discussion is the key to success to address important changes like this.
DIAGNOSTIC TEST
Here is a brief guide on the diagnostic test most frequently used, what is included in it and the extent to which the test tool can give an explanation to you. Physician and neurologist may want you to undergo the entire examination before making a clinical diagnosis.
Medical History
The doctor will ask you detailed medical history, including your medical records in the past about the signs and symptoms and also about the condition of your health now.
If the symptoms you've ever experienced, which may occur in the long term, be examined, the pattern of symptoms that can be obtained referring to the MS disease. However, physical examination and complete medical testing is still needed to ensure the diagnosis.
Examination of Neural
Neurological examination showed how well your nervous system is functioning. Neurologist will test abnormality that occurs in the flow of nerve that carries messages from the brain to other parts of your body. They will pay attention to changes in eye movements, body balance coordination, weakness, balance, feeling (sense of touch), speech, and reflexes.
This examination may also reveal that refer to the disease symptoms of MS, but can not be used to determine what is causing these symptoms there. Should disregard the previous conditions that may cause similar symptoms as MS.
Testing by using Visual, Auditory and somatosensory Evoked Potentials (VEP, AEP, and SEP)
Despite its name twister, primacy of these tests is its directness. These tests measure the speed of a message traveling from the brain to nerves.
Speed messages through the nervous system is measured by placing small electrodes on the head, which monitors brain waves response to visual stimuli and audio (hearing) or to sensory stimuli. It is very helpful of the three tests is the potential for visual although nowadays, along with the increasing use of MRI, this test is not so often anymore necessary. VEP tests AEP and SEP are not invasive or painful and does not require hospitalization at the hospital.
The time it takes nerve to deliver a message from the brain is an indicator of the condition of the nervous system and is used to determine whether there demyelinating arising.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
The MRI scanner is the latest diagnostic tools and gives a detailed overview of 'slices' of the brain and spinal cord, exposing the wound areas (lesions or plaques) that may exist.
During the MRI scan, the person undergoing the examination must lie very still on a table that is inserted into the large tube that is part of the machine that contains the magnet. People who do a sit in different rooms while watching the image receiving apparatus; but they were able to see patients who are undergoing examination, usually through a large window.
MRI examination is not painful, but many people feel a very unusual experience, which may be a fear of narrow and dark places (claustrophobia) or feel noisy / rowdy. All these inconveniences can be reduced with sedation. Sometimes it done anyway injection gadolinium-containing contrast material into the blood vessels that can highlight all areas of inflammation and can help make the diagnosis.
It is important to remember that the people who did the testing is not always able to provide feedback directly to you and the scanned image will be sent to your doctor for analysis.
Although this test is the only test tool that can show the lesions in MS, the test results can not be considered a conclusive result. The scanner may not be able to map all lesions, especially in the early stages of the disease, and several other conditions may show similar changes in the nervous system.
MRI that shows the size, quantity, and distribution of lesions, supported by evidence from the medical history and neurological examination, then this becomes a very significant indicator to confirm the diagnosis of MS. It shows more than 95% abnormality with specific clinical diagnosis. MRI is a very useful tool in clinical trials to test the reliability of new therapies, such therapies are associated with the ability to demonstrate changes in disease activity.
Lumbar Puncture
There are several tests that can be performed with fluid spinal marrow (the liquid flowing in the brain and spinal marrow), but related to MS disease, which examined the patterns are formed by proteins.
This fluid taken from the spinal marrow by inserting a needle in the lower back. To numb the skin then given a local anesthetic, and although uncomfortable, this examination is generally painless.
This inspection requires people who undergo testing to sleep on her back for some time after pemgambilan sample, and after testing headache may occur as a side effect of lack of fluids; These side effects can be reduced by drinking immediately after being examined, to help the body replace fluids spinal marrow missing. Some people require hospital care and require a longer time for healing.
Protein in bone marrow fluid behind the majority (90%) patients with MS to form a certain pattern when electrified, thus this procedure can potentially confirm the diagnosis of MS. However, the protein liquids spinal marrow in patients with early-stage MS or MS light is not always show the same pattern, thus the result is again uncertain. Frequent MRI results become uncertain.
MS AND MATTERS RELATING TO DUTIES AS PARENTS
The decision to have a family should be considered carefully when one or a couple diagnosed with MS. Many couples who are concerned about the risk that their children will also be affected by MS. It is important to remember that when compared with the general population of children with MS is a risk for contracting the disease increases slightly, but the risk is still very low.
Although not yet certain that the MS can be lowered, close relatives of MS patients have a higher risk when compared with people in general who do not have any family connection with people with MS. Results of research on MS in the family showed that the level of risk of contracting MS in children who have a parent living with MS ranged between 3-5%, if the parents of people with MS is the only family member who contracted MS. The level of risk be varied if there are multiple family members affected by MS and MS contagious or family members of both parties, namely maternal and paternal.
Long-term consequences of the decision to have children should also be considered. Several factors such as the level of disability in the present and the future, the couple's ability to assist in the care and development of children, the potential for support from family and friends, financial security must be taken into account.
In the case of pregnancy did not reveal any effect on the risk of relapse or pregnancy, or childbirth contractions. Found a decrease in relapse rate during pregnancy is accompanied by an increase in relapse rates at six months after the baby is born. There is no evidence that MS causes infertility or cause miscarriage, birth defects, the baby died shortly after birth and complications in the process of contraction and childbirth.
Although there are no specific medications used by people with MS, there are several kinds of treatment are used to treat exacerbations and symptoms of MS. Some of them (or a combination of them) can harm the fetus. In addition, some people are on a special diet or some kind of other treatments (both medical instigation or not) is then known to be useful for the treatment of MS. Prospective parents should always discuss all manner of care and treatment with their doctors before pregnancy to assess whether the care and treatment of potentially harmful fetal development or not.
Pregnancy showed no effect, either on a long-term disability as well as the course of the disease in the long term. Breastfeeding does not show an association with relapse after giving birth, but dealing with the possibility of fatigue, which may influence the decision to use infant formula and baby nurses.
The decision to have children should not be made without considering all the possible implications. MS can affect the function of the family and the interests of children must be a primary consideration in terms of the adjustments made. Raising children is a long-term commitment, and the couple must be willing to consider the impact of MS for at least a period of 18 years from the time when they will be actively involved in raising children and not only during pregnancy and infancy. For example, it may be more in need of a support system for long-term conditions than other families who do not have MS. The decision to become a parent should primarily be based on the desire to form a family and because MS demands some deliberation, then the decision should not be determined.
MS AND WORK OR EDUCATION
Because MS is a disease that is very unstable, it will be very difficult to give a general answer that can be applied to any person who is diagnosed with MS. Every person infected with different ways and may experience a number of symptoms with the severity and frequency varies. The severity of the symptoms and the possibility of experiencing this inability is the level that determines whether work or school will be affected or not. The possibility of some degree of disability should not necessarily preclude the fact that people with MS may have had a productive period that continues for years.
Usually, people with benign MS disease or who have minimal symptoms and are not visible, will be able to resume work or educational activities as usual. If fatigue is a problem, then they could just make a plan on regular rest schedule in one day.
People suffering from relapsing-remitting MS or who show some level of disability, may need to evaluate their situation realistically in many ways (for example, physical condition, social, and cognitive) to determine long-term strategies and short-term employment and education in their . People with MS should work closely with the company and or educational institutions to ensure their needs will be met.
The decision to share information that you have MS is a personal decision. If you do not have visible symptoms may be no reason to reveal that you are diagnosed with MS. On the other hand, many educational institutions (for example) will provide special accommodations to people with MS, associated with class schedules, exams, enrollment requirements, and so on, while maintaining confidentiality.
Legal provisions to accommodate patients who have limited ability to vary in each country. National MS society in your country may be able to advise you about the conditions in your country.
See also the following post:
- Did You Know The Meaning Of Multiple Sclerosis?
- How Does Vitamin D Work In Multiple Sclerosis?
- Did You Know The Danger Of Lung Cancer?
- Multiple Sclerosis Support And Additional Information
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