Physical Activity Myth 1: People With Multiple Sclerosis Can’t or Shouldn’t Be Physically Active Fact: At one time, experts believed that physical activity would worsen MS, so they advised against an active lifestyle. Doctors now know that staying active is one of the best ways to stay healthy with MS and delay disability. Amparo Gutierrez, MD , a neurologist with the Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute, says, “It is strongly encouraged for MS patients to exercise, and the sweet spot seems to be 120 minutes a week at a minimum.” In other words, if you want to do more, you can absolutely consider it. A meta-analysis found that exercising regularly significantly reduced fatigue; improved balance, walking endurance, and walking ability; and boosted quality of life in people with MS. While medications are important for stopping MS from getting worse, exercising can help to address some functional and physical symptoms that medications often don’t, like weakness or mobility issues.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cf386be0-cf3c-40bc-badd-493201b835ce Exercise can also support weight management for people with both MS and obesity. Obesity may worsen fatigue and mobility issues, so weight management may help reduce these symptoms. Maintaining a healthy body weight with MS might also boost your mood and improve your sleep.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629db8f25cd-28a9-4f25-ba47-d35dfc790557 To get the most benefits from exercise, choose activities that suit your interests and your physical abilities, and make sure you’re active on most days of the week. If you’re not sure how to get started with exercise, or you need some help identifying exercises that will improve your fitness without wearing you out, try working with a physical therapist or a personal trainer who is knowledgeable about MS.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629db8f25cd-28a9-4f25-ba47-d35dfc790557
Pregnancy Myth 7: Women With MS Shouldn’t Get Pregnant Fact: Experts emphasize that women with multiple sclerosis can get pregnant . MS may even be less likely to flare up later in pregnancy. However, relapses may get more common right after delivery, and MS symptoms like fatigue or balance issues may make carrying a pregnancy challenging. Despite this, no evidence suggests that MS reduces a woman’s ability to get pregnant or increases the risk of congenital anomalies in the baby.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294d7bda02-d738-4aea-b446-6b21aace689a Lining up sources of help and support ahead of time is recommended. Gutierrez says that women who have MS aren’t at an increased risk of preterm delivery, stillbirth, congenital anomalies, cesarean delivery, or miscarriage. “Most MS patients have healthy pregnancies,” she says. “Pregnancy risk is similar to that of a person who doesn’t have MS.” Research on the effects of taking most MS medications during pregnancy is limited, and some MS medications may have unwanted effects on a fetus.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294d7bda02-d738-4aea-b446-6b21aace689a However, other treatment options are available for women who need to continue their therapy during pregnancy. “People with MS who are planning to get pregnant should talk with their neurologist, because some MS medications are not safe to continue during pregnancy,” Peters says.
Steps You Can Take Myth 3: There’s Nothing You Can Do to Help Your MS Fact: You can take steps to improve your quality of life and possibly slow the progression of your disease. The following positive lifestyle changes may help:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297055385f-f953-4d66-af32-4408a805c24d Managing stress Eating a healthy diet Exercising regularly Preventing vitamin D deficiency Getting enough sleep each night MS does not have a cure, but taking medications as prescribed and working with your doctors can help reduce the number and severity of relapses.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762961710015-9e65-42bc-9eb1-b67efa4fcc97 Get started on the steps listed here to start retaking control of your MS, and talk to your medical team about others you can take.
Cognitive Impairment Myth 5: Multiple Sclerosis Is Not Associated With Cognitive Impairment Fact: Multiple sclerosis is typically thought of as a condition that affects mobility, but the fact is that it can also affect your cognitive functioning, such as thinking and memory.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629120625e3-5145-4ecc-92ac-0cbad834173c Studies have found that mild to severe cognitive changes may occur in 50 to 66 percent of people with MS.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a324e81a-02b4-4a2c-aa1d-d8c556bc100f “In some people, MS can lead to physical and cognitive disability. But this doesn’t happen to everyone,” Peters says. “Starting an effective treatment (disease-modifying therapy) as soon as possible after getting diagnosed helps prevent future declines.”
The science behind multiple sclerosis (MS) changes so rapidly that people with the condition, their families, and even their doctors might not be up to speed with all of the latest news about it. But holding on to outdated myths and misconceptions about the disease may mean limiting your activities unnecessarily or missing out on the best treatments. People who live with MS can improve their quality of life by having more accurate, up-to-date knowledge about MS. Here are some of the most common MS myths — and the truth about each one.
MS Medication Strength Myth 6: Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Should Start With Less Powerful Drugs Fact: “Research has shown that most people benefit most from high-efficacy medications at first, and later, when their disease and body are less prone to inflammation, there can be a de-escalation of treatment,” Gutierrez says. Peters adds that treatment varies between people with MS. “For most people newly diagnosed with MS, more effective medications (termed highly effective disease-modifying therapies) are the best course of action. But the choice of medication is personalized and different for everyone,” he says. A study using 30 years of data from people with MS found that early use of consistent disease-modifying therapy was strongly linked to a reduced risk of conversion to secondary-progressive MS, a more advanced type.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762987f6a614-aab5-4b2b-acc0-31b650678a9c If you have questions about whether the medications you’re on suit the current stage of your MS progression, ask your doctor.
Myth 9: MS Always Results in Physical Disability Fact : Gutierrez says, “Some patients who have aggressive forms of MS that our medications have not been successful in stopping may have disability as an unwanted outcome.” But Peters adds that not everyone with MS develops disability. “Starting an effective treatment (disease-modifying therapy) as soon as possible after getting diagnosed helps prevent future declines,” he says. When MS affects your physical functioning, a wide variety of mobility aids and other devices, as well as physical therapy knowledge, is available to help you live your life to the fullest.
MS and Employment Myth 4: You Can’t Work With MS Fact: Most people with MS (around 85 percent) get their diagnosis between the ages of 18 and 50 years, a time in life when many are working on building a career.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299684bf43-2903-46f8-b32b-52cddd38b9f5 A study noted that only about 20 to 40 percent of people continue working following their diagnosis. The study participants suggested that several factors can negatively or positively impact their ability to stay in a job, including support at home and work, the presence of reasonable accommodations, and general knowledge of MS among other employees.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762906cde668-aee7-4597-b003-ecaa9481ab6e Other studies found that the number of people with MS who remain employed declines as more time passes since being diagnosed.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762944bb0164-7aba-4066-892c-8c75d39ebcc6 But Gutierriez suggests that, with the right management, it doesn’t have to be this way. “MS is not a disability if well managed, and patients can live full, productive lives.” Peters shares similar sentiments, expressing that “most people with MS are still able to work and live full, happy, and productive lives.” If you are currently working or looking for a job, talk to your employers (or potential employers) about what would enable you to continue working before you quit your job or give up your job search. The Americans With Disabilities Act protects your right to stay employed and requires your employer to work with you on reasonable accommodations.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293db7aee6-f46e-4f3a-b144-3d3cd89caf97 For example, if you’re already working, your employer might be able to provide accommodations like moving your office closer to the restroom and your parking spot closer to the office door. They may also provide mobility assistance, such as installing grab bars in bathrooms and ramps for entrances. And if you’re looking for work, consider whether working part-time, remotely, or on a flexible schedule might be more suitable than stopping working entirely.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976291682c5d2-b8d8-4654-a8c6-c3cbd7703b5c
The Takeaway MS myths hold little or no truth to them. In some cases, such as not engaging in physical activity, they come from previous, disproven advice. Others, such as those concerning MS and pregnancy, may stem from uncertainty surrounding medications that treat MS and pregnancy. No matter what you hear, it’s a good idea to speak to someone on your medical team to access accurate information about concerns you may have. While MS can make working more challenging, many people with MS continue to work despite their diagnosis. Workplace accommodations, support from coworkers, and other factors can help you continue working for as long as you want. MS affects everyone differently, meaning that while some may lose mobility, others may not. Your healthcare team can better answer what your prognosis will be with treatment and by taking steps to manage your health. Additional reporting by Madeline R. Vann, MPH .
Pain Myth 2: Multiple Sclerosis Doesn’t Cause Pain Fact: Many people living with multiple sclerosis can tell you the truth about this MS myth: They do feel pain. Cleveland Clinic cited a 17-study review of data from over 5,000 participants, noting that about 63 percent of them reported pain related to MS.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ce3385bd-5ee1-4d04-8af9-d79d3c594de3 Cleveland Clinic also notes that pain can vary by location on the body, cause, and duration. John Peters, MD , assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine, adds that “neuropathic pain (burning, tingling, pins and needles) or painful muscle cramping” can occur in some people living with MS. Gutierrez says, “In some people, MS can cause burning, shooting pain in an arm, a leg, or the face. The pain tends to be limited in the area affected and is determined by the lesions that a particular person has.” Because chronic pain in MS can present differently from one person to the next, it can be especially hard to treat. Unfortunately, there isn’t a silver bullet that works for all chronic pain problems.
Myth 8: Multiple Sclerosis Is Contagious Fact : This myth may continue to circulate in part because of a relationship with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and the development of MS. Some evidence suggests that EBV can cause MS in some people.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976291445fb3a-bf64-40a3-a6f4-877f1007a835 But this isn’t the same as MS being contagious — the disease doesn’t directly spread from person to person. People with MS are much more likely than those without the condition to have signs of a previous Epstein-Barr infection, the cause of most cases of mononucleosis , but the exact nature of the connection with MS isn’t clear. A study found that people diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis, an acute illness that most commonly results from EBV, during childhood were nearly twice as likely to develop MS. For people diagnosed during adolescence, the risk of MS was three times higher.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b6a7a198-17d7-4fe3-aa8b-0b4b1dbf47a4
Read the full article here
Leave a comment
