Understanding multiple sclerosis
Ian Robinson in Multiple Sclerosis, 2005
Multiple sclerosis is a disease of unknown aetiology, variable onset, problematic diagnosis, unpredictable prognosis, and no effective treatment. Many features of the disease are therefore the subject of intense speculation and controversy. The debate about the nature of multiple sclerosis conditions its clinical diagnosis and management, as well as research into all aspects of the disease. The experience of people with multiple sclerosis is thus mediated not only through the uncertainties, problems, and difficulties of their personal and social world, but also through the spectrum of medical uncertainty and dispute about key aspects of the disease. In this chapter there is an introductory discussion of some of these uncertainties and disputes.
A Battleground of Facts
Jonathan C. Beazley, Stephanie Field in Cannabis on Campus, 2018
This chapter examines some major issues in the point and counterpoint existing between those who believe that marijuana should remain illegal, if decriminalized, and those that want it made legal to adults, regulated like alcohol. In 2005, researchers at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts began to explore cognitive and brain differences in persons with chronic marijuana use versus non-marijuana users. The short-term effects of cannabis on memory and other cognitive functions is well-known, so much so that it has become a source of humor. That marijuana can cause psychotic symptoms, an effect documented well over a century and a half ago, may have been forgotten throughout the latter part of the twentieth century. Marijuana has been promoted to alleviate symptoms associated with a variety of medical ailments including cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, the Alzheimer's disease, PTSD, epilepsy, Crohn's disease, and glaucoma.
CAM for Specific Illnesses or Symptoms
Lillian R. Brazin in The Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine on the Internet, 2020
Commonweal, a small health and environmental research institute located in northern California, aims to assist patients in making informed decisions about cancer treatment. The information on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies is thorough and easy to navigate. OncoLink is very thorough and well documented, and it is updated daily. OncoLink was one of the first high-quality, consumer-oriented medical sites. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is an organization with local chapters providing advocacy, support, education, and promotion of research. Sickle Cell Disease Association of America was founded over thirty years ago. Over the years they have produced workshops, issued educational materials, and offered counseling programs and screening services.
A Protocol for Improving Loneliness in People with Multiple Sclerosis
Published in Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 2016
Jennifer Tamar Kalina, Jim Hinojosa
Loneliness is a subjective and unpleasant emotional state that occurs when people feel social networks or social relationships are deficient in some way. People with multiple sclerosis are often lonely and frequently withdraw from participating in meaningful social activities. Common symptoms, such as cognitive changes, decreased physical functioning, fatigue, incontinence, visual changes, or depression, may contribute to decreased social participation, which can lead to loneliness. This article presents an intervention protocol for improving loneliness in people with multiple sclerosis. This protocol is based on Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, which focuses on improving self-efficacy to reduce loneliness in people with multiple sclerosis.
Parinaud Syndrome: A Rare Relapse in Multiple Sclerosis
Published in Neuro-Ophthalmology, 2012
I. P. Moreira, A. Carneiro, E. Santos
Parinaud syndrome is a disorder of eye movements due to lesions affecting the dorsal midbrain. Surprisingly, it is a very rare sign in multiple sclerosis. Herein the authors report a patient who presented with Parinaud syndrome in the context of multiple sclerosis. The initial multiple sclerosis symptoms occurred when he was 23 years of age consisting of sudden-onset action tremor. Seven years later, the patient noticed diplopia and was found to have bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia and Parinaud syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed T2/FLAIR hyperintense lesions in the white matter of both hemispheres, cerebral peduncle, midbrain, pons, and spinal cord, compatible with demyelination. Others diseases mimicking multiple sclerosis were excluded.
Patients’ experiences of adapting to multiple sclerosis: a qualitative study
Published in Contemporary Nurse, 2015
Somayeh Ghafari, Masoud Fallahi- Khoshknab, Kian Nourozi, Eesa Mohammadi
Unpleasant, unpredictable symptoms, difficult treatment regimes, and uncertainty about the future of Multiple Sclerosis require the patients to adapt to new life changes and restrictions. This study aimed to explore patients' experiences of adapting to Multiple Sclerosis. A qualitative content analysis method was used to conduct this study. The study participants were 25 patients with Multiple Sclerosis, chosen through purposeful sampling. Data were analyzed by using content analysis. The analysis resulted in the emergence of seven themes and eighteen subthemes. The main themes were: religiosity, information seeking, seeking support, hope rearing, emotional reactions, concealing the disease, fighting the disease and disability. These themes can represent the perceived characteristics and difficulties of adaptation to Multiple Sclerosis by patients. These findings can help nurses and families to aid patients in increasing their abilities to adapt to the disease and enhance their quality of life.
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