MS Bytes # 5

According to the MS Society,
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of MS, occurring in about 80% of people. Fatigue can significantly interfere with a person's ability to function at home and at work, and may be the most prominent symptom in a person who otherwise has minimal activity limitations.

If you know someone who has MS you should not be surprised that on somedays they may need to use a cane or wheelchair to remain mobile and on other days not. People with MS have problems with balance,coordination and memory all of which may contribute to the making the simplest tasks exhausting. Have you ever tried walking when you are in a pool that is at least waste high? Everyday walking can feel like that for someone who has MS. Not easy? Exhausting? That's MS.

Brain Freeze - MS Byte # ?

Cognitive Function
Cognition refers to a range of high-level brain functions, including the ability to learn and remember information: organize, plan, and problem-solve; focus, maintain, and shift attention as necessary; understand and use language; accurately perceive the environment, and perform calculations. Cognitive changes are common in people with MS—approximately 50% of people with MS will develop problems with cognition.
taken from the ms society website - see LINKS

myMSmyWAY.com has free brain games for people with MS.

MS Bytes #3 - Causes, Diet Connection

"Researchers have studied a variety of possible causes for MS, and a combination of factors appears to be involved. A popular theory looks at commonly known slow-acting viruses (one that could remain dormant for many years), such as measles, herpes, human T-cell lymphoma, and Epstein-Barr. After being exposed to one of these viruses, some researchers theorize that MS may develop in genetically susceptible people. Research to identify the specific genes involved in MS is also ongoing.

Some scientists are looking for a connection between MS and nutritional factors, including fat intake, as well as deficiencies in fish oil and vitamin D. In addition to food and supplements, vitamin D is also derived from sunlight, which may be involved in the development of MS. As noted in the following section, populations living closer to the equator (and exposed to more sunlight) experience a lower incidence of MS." taken from
http://www.msassociation.org/about_multiple_sclerosis/whatisms/

MS Bytes #4

"Preliminary studies have suggested that a phenomenon called Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI), a reported abnormality in blood drainage from the brain and spinal cord, may contribute to nervous system damage in MS..." For more go to
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/research/intriguing-leads-on-the-horizon/ccsvi/index.aspx FOR SYMPTOMS, scroll down to the bottom of the page/blog.

Don't Quote Me

Quotes taken from the blog http://www.wheelchairkamikaze.com
From the FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 Entry
One Lifetime, Many Lives
"Thus too the moment of diagnosis is an end but also a beginning. Despite the very real hardships and anxieties that come bundled with illness, this new beginning need not be one of unending misery, devoid of happiness and contentment." http://www.wheelchairkamikaze.com/
"Suddenly facing chronic illness may force us to let go of one set of selves, but affords us a unique opportunity at redefinition, a chance to utilize the boundless wisdom we've gained by simply living but which we rarely stop to tap into, and to thus discover the true heart within. Every end is a beginning, and even if that new beginning has been forced upon us, and is filled with terrible unknowns, it is a chance at self-discovery. If you choose to take it, even tremendous misfortune can offer the occasion to be a better you than you have ever been before. ."http://www.wheelchairkamikaze.com/

MS Bytes #1-2 MS IS

MS BYTE #1 FACT -How Many People Have MS?
No one knows exactly how many people have MS. It is believed that, currently, there are approximately 250,000 to 350,000 people in the United States with MS diagnosed by a physician. This estimate suggests that approximately 200 new cases are diagnosed each week. Do you or someone you know have MS? Fact taken from:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/multiple_sclerosis/detail_multiple_sclerosis.htm#158953215


MS Byte#2
"Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous sytstem(CNS), which is made up of thebrain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as parlysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. Fact found at www.nationalmssociety.org