Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological condition that affects your brain and spinal cord resulting in nerve impulses to the muscles being interrupted. In MS, your immune system, which normally helps to fight off infections, mistakes myelin (coating of the nerves) for a foreign body and attacks it. This damages the myelin and strips it off the nerve fibres, either slightly or completely, leaving scars known as lesions or plaques. This process causes a range of symptoms which are different for everyone and can impact many parts of the body.
There are four different types of MS, named according to the way the disease acts on the body over time:
Relapsing-Remitting MS
Recognised as the most common form of Multiple Sclerosis, characterised by a course of recurrent and discrete relapses that result in episodes of intensive worsening of your neurologic function. Interspersed with periods of remission during which the disease stops progressing.
Secondary-Progressive MS
Individuals with an initial diagnosis of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis after approximately 10 years may transition to Secondary-progressive Multiple Sclerosis which means that the disease will begin to progress more steadily with or without relapses.
Primary-Progressive MS
This form of Multiple Sclerosis progresses slowly yet steadily from the time of its onset. Symptoms stay at the same level of intensity without decreasing, and there are no remission periods.
Benign MS
A relatively rare form of Multiple Sclerosis, there may be a small number of relapses followed by a complete recovery, Benign MS can only be diagnosed retrospectively, after a period of at least 10 to 15 years.
The primary aims of physiotherapy:
At Nicole Lavin Neurological Rehabilitation, our treatment for MS consists of a hands-on, individual treatment and exercise programme. It is essential that treatment is targeted as MS varies enormously in the symptoms it causes. Your experienced physiotherapist will work with you to:
Encourage learning of motor skills and strategies of movement.
Maintain and increase muscle strength and joint range
Encourage postural stability to improve balance and movement
Minimise abnormalities of muscle tone
Education of the symptoms of MS and how they affect daily living e.g managing fatigue.
Functional ability – getting in and out of bed, everyday tasks
Improve walking ability, speed and exercise tolerance
For more information we will be happy to talk to you.
Call us on 0113 2508833 or click button to send a message…
