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Cannabis for Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
By: Michelle Cameron, MD, PT, MCR and Jessica Rice, MR
People with MS experience symptoms that may not be adequately controlled with FDA-approved medications. Some people with MS have tried cannabis products to relieve these symptoms. Although cannabis has been legalized for recreational and/or medical use in a growing number of states, its use remains prohibited by federal laws. The legal status of cannabis is in flux. The use of cannabis to treat MS symptoms remains controversial. Patients are encouraged to discuss these issues with their health care providers.
Continue ReadingProgressive MS Health & Wellness Resource Guide
By: Denise Bruen, Roz Kalb, and Mandy Rohrig
Gather information about how progressive MS is diagnosed and managed and the important role of overall health and wellness through a variety of articles, booklets, webpages, and videos from Can Do Multiple Sclerosis and the National MS Society.
Continue ReadingDriving with MS: A Psychological Perspective
By: Cecilia Capuzzi Simon
Life does not end without driving! It does, however, change. How will you define your new normal? Your new independence? Your freedom?
Continue ReadingCar Talk
By: Cecilia Capuzzi Simon, Psychology Feature Writer
Symptoms of MS, especially cognitive changes and spasticity, can affect driving performance and increase a risk of a car crash. In fact, persons with MS are three times more likely to have a car accident, putting themselves and others at risk. While there are many modifications and adaptations that can assist with driving, loses in driving skills are common. At some point, it is time for all of us, with or without MS, to hang up the car keys. For loved ones, bringing this up can usually be unpleasant, emotional, and relationship-straining. Many families, including mine, go through similar struggles with their aging parents.
Continue ReadingAre We There Yet?
By: Ben Thrower, MD
A cure for multiple sclerosis. That is what we all want, correct? While we have not reached the cure yet, we are getting closer. When we think about a cure for multiple sclerosis, that term may mean different things to different people. To those who are newly diagnosed, a cure might mean a completely effective therapy that would completely eliminate any risk of relapses, new lesions on MRI, or progression of disability. For those who have been dealing with multiple sclerosis for a while and may have accumulated some disability, the cure would mean stopping any further progression and erasing any disability. Admittedly, we have come a long way since 1992 when there were no FDA approved treatment options for multiple sclerosis. So where are we right now with current research in multiple sclerosis?
Continue ReadingSometimes It’s Hard to Be a Woman: Women’s Health Issues in MS
By: Meghan Beier, PhD & Cheryl Blaschuk, RN, FNP, MSN
Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) presents a unique challenge for women. Until relatively recently, most of the medical and rehabilitation research focused on either males exclusively, or mixed populations without examining differences in gender. As an example, prior to 1990, there was only one publication that examined the unique demographics of women with functional or cognitive challenges. New lines of research produced a better understanding of the prevalence of MS among women, as well as unique considerations needed for assessment and treatment in this gender.
Continue ReadingCognitive Challenges and MS: What You Need to Know
By: Darla Freeman M.A., CCC/SLP & Juliann Hanson-Zlatev OTR,
Cognitive changes are a common symptom in MS. Up to 65% of people who have a diagnosis of MS also experience cognitive changes. In some cases people may identify cognitive changes as some of the earliest symptoms of M.S they noticed.
Continue ReadingThe Ups and Downs of Fall Prevention
By: Michelle H. Cameron, MD, PT and Stephanie Nolan, OTR/L
Do you have MS? Do you fall? Do you wonder if you fall more than other people without MS? Do you want to know what to do to prevent falling? This article summarizes what we know about how many people with MS fall, the many possible causes of falls in people with MS, and provides tips and suggestions for things you can do to reduce the risk of falling.
Continue ReadingDiscovering Your Sexual Self
By: Dr. Linda Mona, Ph.D
Discovering yourself and what feels right to you is a life-long process, one that does not have a final conclusion. Keep an open mind while learning about yourself and begin your journey to knowing the sexual person that you are!
Continue ReadingExercise and Cognition: Research Updates
By: Mandy Rohrig, PT, DPT
The positive effects of exercise on our bodies are widely known - improved muscular strength, weight management, balance, cardiovascular health, and reduced risk for some cancers and type 2 diabetes, just to name a few. These measurable physical changes are often the focus of goals and intended outcomes for exercise. An often overlooked advantage to exercise is the benefit that exercise may have on our minds - the most magnificent “muscle” of all.
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