Living with Chronic Illness - Essay Example

Multiple sclerosis, also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata, causes the individual who posses it to have physical or mental challenges, it can occur in several forms that can be recurring or where it is continuous and progresses over time (Naff, 2009). Some of the symptoms that a person with multiple sclerosis experiences include visual, autonomic, sensory and motor challenges being the most common of the signs, the specific signs however vary depending on the area of the nervous system that has been affected and include loss of sensitivity and changes in sensation such as numbness.

Weak muscles, pronounced reflexes, muscle spasms and difficulties in movements, balance, challenges in talking and swallowing, visual impairment, fatigue, serious pains, challenges in bladder and bowel movements, emotional problems that accompany the disease include depression and sudden mood changes. Multiple sclerosis is believed to be caused by genetic factors that combine with environmental factors to accelerate the rate of growth of the disease. Environmental factors such as the geographical location of an individual determine his susceptibility to contract the disease with it being more rampant on geographical locations further away from the equator. . pends on his susceptibility to contract multiple sclerosis with individuals who migrate before the age of fifteen years acquiring the susceptibility of the new country however if the migration takes place from 15 years and above he retains the susceptibility of his home country.

The disease is also transmitted through the genetic makeup of individuals with those who are more closely related to a person with the disease having a higher risk of contracting the disease than those who are distant relatives. Diagnosing of multiple sclerosis is usually done through tests, medical imaging, signs and symptoms that are presented in an individual, however, during the early days of its formation the disease is difficult to diagnose since the signs and symptoms are similar to those of other types of diseases.

Since the disease does not have any known cure, several therapies and medications are administered to help in minimising its effects or preventing disabilities associated with it, intravenous or oral corticosteroids are used in cases of severe symptomatic attacks. Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis and the progressive multiple sclerosis, which are two common types of multiple sclerosis, have different modifying treatments with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis having eight approved medications.

They include interferon beta 1a, interferon beta 1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, natalizumab, fingolimod, terifluonomide and dimethyl fumarate and progressive sclerosis treatment include mitoxantrone, which only changes the secondary progression of the multiple sclerosis. These medications have several side effects that come with their usage and include irritations of the skin at the point where the injection was made due to the destruction of the subcutaneous layer,