Library Articles
Relationships and Intimacy
By: Kathleen Healey, NP, PhD and Meghan Beier, PhD
Up to 80% of people living with MS will experience a sexual challenge throughout their lifetime. However, sexual challenges are not just experienced by people living with MS. Approximately 35-40% of people in the general population also experience sexual difficulties. So, what gets in the way?
Continue ReadingSensory Symptoms in MS
By: Kathy SanMartino, PT NCS, MSCS, CLT, ATP and Randall T Schapiro, MD, FAAN
Among the most common symptoms in multiple sclerosis are the sensory symptoms. They are often the first symptoms of MS and while invisible to the naked eye, can be among the most bothersome. The list is long and may involve every inch of the human body. While ever present, these symptoms usually do not predict a poor prognosis. Nonetheless they are important to understand and manage as best as possible.
Continue ReadingIntensity Matters: Frequency, Effort, and Resistance in Exercise
By: Jennifer Keller, MS, PT
Intensity Matters: General Tips for Endurance & Resistance Exercise
Continue ReadingManaging Employment Challenges with MS
By: Rosalind Kalb, PhD & Steven Nissen, M.S., CRC
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause a wide range of symptoms that may impact a person’s activities in the workplace, including fatigue, changes in thinking and memory, mood changes, visual problems, reduced mobility, balance, and strength, and bladder or bowel difficulties. Depending on the severity of the symptoms and type of work one does, a person’s ability to work may be unaffected or severely limited. And given the variability of MS symptoms, work activities may be affected more on some days than others.
Continue ReadingManaging MS Fatigue and Sleep During A Crisis: COVID-19 and Beyond
By: Abbey Hughes, PhD and Stephanie Singleton, OTR/L
Over a few short weeks, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has become a constant presence in our lives. We have experienced rapid shifts in our daily activities, including how we work, socialize, exercise, eat, pray, receive medical care, and care for others. Fatigue and sleep disturbance are common in MS and can worsen during periods of stress.
Continue ReadingStriving for Cognitive Wellness
By: Janet DeClark, MA, CCC-SLP and Meghan Beier PhD
Forgetfulness happens to all of us. Sometimes we forget names or appointments, struggle with finding the right word, or feel overwhelmed and disorganized. But what happens when you notice it occurring more frequently than it used to? When you have MS, you may find that you’re having more trouble with thinking and remembering. Many people with MS have changes in cognition.
Continue ReadingThe Process of Therapy
By: Peggy Crawford, PhD and Jean Simmons, PhD - Clinical Psychologists
General guidelines of what to expect when participating in therapy.
Landing on Your Feet When Your World is Turned Upside Down
By: Rosalind Kalb, PhD and Rhonda Canby
Change is part of our lives. We strive for some of those changes – for example, growing up, getting an education, finding a partner, or winning the lottery. Others may be thrust upon us – for example aging, losing a loved one, or being diagnosed with a chronic illness. All changes, whether positive or negative, can be challenging. If you think about getting a new job, starting a new relationship, or having a baby, the challenges as well as the pleasures are pretty obvious.
Continue ReadingCanDoMS, Multiple Sclerosis, MS Nutrition, MS Myths, Nutrition
By: Mona Bostick, RDN, LDN - Registered Dietitian
Finding nutrition information online is easy. In fact, it is hard to escape! But how reliable is the information you find online? How good is the advice from your favorite Instagram account, from your favorite celebrity, or your well-meaning neighbor or friend?
Continue ReadingCommunicating with Family: Tips and Strategies
By: Rosalind Kalb, PhD - Psychologist
Sharing information about MS with family members isn’t always easy or straightforward. Different family members want and need different kinds of information; people sometimes have preconceived ideas about what MS is and what you should be doing to manage it; some family members are better able than others to keep information private if you ask them to. In addition, the information you provide needs to change as the disease changes or affects you in different ways. So it’s a good idea to have a strategy in mind for how to deal with the information needs of the people in your family.
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