Case Study: Multiple Sclerosis

Gina is a 21-year old nursing student who saw her primary health care provider after experiencing episodic blurred vision, fatigue, poor motor coordination and urinary incontinence. Her neurological exam revealed mild ataxia and mild weakness in her left leg without severe spasticity. MRI scan of the brain reveals multiple plagues indicative of multiple sclerosis.

The peak of the CAP changes with different strength stimulus because the sizes and thresholds of the nerve fibres within the nerve is different. Larger nerve fibres have lower threshold stimuli than smaller ones, hence larger fibres were activated first, followed by smaller ones. As stimulus strength increased, the larger nerve fibres began firing followed by the activation of the smaller ones (refer to Figure 2). At the maximal stimulus a constant pattern was formed. This was because all the nerve fibres were now firing and there were no further fibres to be activated.

The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The brain is connected to the spinal cord. The brain helps interpret information received from the spinal cord. Through the spinal cord signals are sent to the rest of body and back to the brain. Nerve cells (neurons) are found in the nervous system and they help communicate with other cells through electrical signals. Some of the nerve cells are coated with a myelin sheath. Myelinated neurons allow electrical signals to travel at a faster speed. When the myelinated part of the nerve cell is destroyed, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be the one to blame.

MS(Multiple Sclerosis) is a disease which gradually hardens all tissues and also causes scars. These scars form when the persons immune system's cells go into the central nervous system and cause inflammation to the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. MS is also a non contagious and unpredictable disease. MS is also the most common chronic disease (when it comes to the CNS (Central Nervous System)) with young Australians. Throughout all the states of Australia, Victoria is the State with the most people that have the condition.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, progressive neurological disease affecting all aspects of life: physical, cognitive, emotional, and social (Abma). It is known as an autoimmune disease, Where the body’s immune system turns against the body and destroys the protective covering that surrounds nerve cells. This damage to the nerve cells causes many problems for the patient including weakness, muscle stiffness, poor coordination and balance, tingling, numbness, tremors, blurred vision, slurred speech, and memory and concentration problems (Bren)

Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease that affects the central nervous system, which includes but is not limited to the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Within the CNS the immune system attacks myelin sheaths, which are fatty membranes surrounding the axon of a neuron. Overtime the damaged myelin sheath forms scar tissue called sclerosis, which is what gives the disease its name. When scleroses are formed on the myelin sheath, nerve impulses that travel to and from the brain and spinal cord are dramatically slowed and sometimes even completely blocked. Consequently the muscular system is not able to function properly, which is what gives MS such crippling symptoms.

Incurable disease? No not me. At the young age of only fourteen I had been diagnosed with an incurable disease that would change my life FOREVER. This disease called, Multiple Sclerosis, is a non-curable neurological disease that impacts the nerves in your brain and spinal cord. It can be hereditary in some ways, but doctors have yet to find a direct cause of the disease itself. Symptoms can range from tingling or pinprick feelings, to blurred vision, and even the loss of mobility in your limbs and in other areas of your body. This disease has impacted me more than physically, it has impacted me emotionally and spiritually as well. Although, this is a serious medical condition, I have overcome and learned to accept the fact that I am a little different than everyone else.

Multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease that is very painful for both the patient and care giver. In the disease, there is inflammation and neurodegeneration acting at the same time. There is currently no known primary cause of multiple sclerosis. The disease is however characterized by damaged fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and the spinal cord. Myelin is a mixture of proteins and phospholipids that protects many nerve fibers enabling speed at which impulses are conducted. It is pathologically characterized as the presence of glial scars all over in the central nervous system. The disease was discovered by the French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot in 1868 when he examined the brain

When considering this information, keep in mind that while you may not have MS, a lot of people do, and are diagnosed with it every day. Raising awareness about MS and getting more people involved is one of the best things you can do to helps others suffering with this

Jean – Martin was the first neurologist to identify multiple sclerosis disease in 1868. Three major signs of MS are nystagmus, intention tremor, and telegraphic speech. Multiple sclerosis is also known disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminate which is an inflammatory disease in which of the nerve cells , brain and spinal cord becomes damaged. The damage of the nervous system causes the body to not be able to communicate, which results in signs and symptoms such as physical,mental and psychiatric problems. The cause of MS is not just yet clear but the underlying cause for it is to be either destruction by the immune system or failure of myelin- producing cells. It also includes genetics and environmental factors such as infections. MS have no cure for

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating chronic disease where the immune system attacks the myelin sheaths of nerve cells in the central nervous system, affecting more than 400,000 people in the US with about 200 new cases being diagnosed each week (Pietrangelo and Higuera 2014). We still do know what causes MS and although there is no cure, there are several treatments for MS focused on slowing down the progression of the disease and managing symptoms. Although the causes of MS have not been identified, there has been much research into genetic susceptibility and exposure to environmental risk factors as well as research into how different populations manage their MS.

A 21 years old man with multiple sclerosis (MS) is admitted. The interdisciplinary team feels he may need a feeding tube for nutritional purpose. They ask the patient about this in the morning and he agrees. However, before the tube has been placed in the evening, the patient becomes disoriented and seems puzzled about his verdict to have the feeding tube placed. He tells the team he doesn't want it in. The team goes back to the question in the morning when the patient is again coherent. Incapable of recollection of his feelings from the previous evening, the patient again reach a decision to proceed with the procedure.

The physical medical condition, Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that can develop at any time. It consists of several severe symptoms that affect the mental, physical, emotional well being, and motor functions of an individual with MS. When diagnosed with MS, there are four different typed of MS: Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS), Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS), Primary-Progressive MS (PPMS), and Secondary-Progressive MS (SPMS). These types of MS with the help of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can determine the status of the prognosis of an individual with MS. Even though there is no cure to MS. The information provided about MS is detrimental for any individual to experience. The onset and process of MS can take so much out of an individual.

In my everyday world I don’t think twice about how I am going to get through the day. Waking up, getting dressed, and getting to school or work are very routine for me. I have been living life without thinking about how those with disabilities get through their day. What struggles they might see that I over look, such as brushing their teeth or eating a meal. So given the opportunity to experience just how these individual’s daily activities are with a neurological disorder helped me see just how lucky I am. I have always been interested in the neurological aspect of therapy, and so I decided to experience what it would be like to be someone with multiple sclerosis, or MS. I have never been around anyone who has multiple sclerosis, so this was all new to me. Before I could even begin to recreate multiple sclerosis I had to do some research on what it was.

The occurrence of physically inactive people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) is widespread. There is a strong desire to research ways to improve physical activity among people with MS and to improve their quality of life. People with MS deserve the many health benefits that physical activity brings. The purpose of this article was to identify an intervention, a behavioral intervention strategy to increase physical activity, particularly walking, among people with MS. The article introduces a behavioral intervention strategy involving MS patient’s self-reported data along with objectively measured physical activity. The interest in identifying new ways to get people with MS more physically active is on the rise. Using social and internet behavior interventions may be a significant approach (Motl & Dlugonski, 2011).