Living with Multiple Sclerosis

In our last blog we talked about Parkinson’s, how it affects mobility, and a couple of ways to combat mobility loss. Today, we will be discussing Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a disease that affects the central nervous system. Multiple Sclerosis causes the immune system to attack the myelin, a protective sheath that protects the nerve fibers, causing the nerves to either deteriorate or become permanently damaged.

Over 2.3 million people worldwide suffer from Multiple Sclerosis, and the number could be much larger, but for most people, the symptoms of onset MS linger in an undetectable state for multiple years. Most people are diagnosed with the disease between the ages of 20 and 50, but in rare cases, the disease can manifest much earlier than the age of 20.  

Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis has a plethora of symptoms, and different people will exhibit certain symptoms that others may not. The point being, no two people experience the same symptoms. The following list contains some of the more commonly experienced symptoms, but not all of the symptoms.  

• Numbness or Tingling: One of the first symptoms that someone with MS might feel before being diagnosed is numbness or tingling in the arms or legs, as well as the face and body in some circumstances. While numbness is not a debilitating symptom, it can result in the permanent loss of feeling in the affected part of the body.
• Fatigue and Weakness: Fatigue is a common symptom of MS for people that usually don’t have any experience of energy limitations for daily activities. Similar to fatigue, weakness is a common feeling that people experience from time-to-time, but if it becomes more of a regular feeling, it could be a sign of the deconditioning of muscles, caused by MS.
• Vision Problems: People that are affected by MS may have sudden symptoms of vision loss, where one can feel pain in the eye, suddenly have blurry vision, or have poor vision of colors and contrasts.
• Dizziness and Vertigo: Dizziness and vertigo are also common symptoms of MS, and people affected by MS may occasionally lose their balance or experience spinning sensations. Both sensations can be attributed to the damage or destruction of nerve pathways that are involved with vision.
• Muscle Spasms:  Muscle spasm can occur in MS patients, with most spasms occurring in extremities like the arms and legs. Spasm fall into a category known as spasticity, grouped with muscle stiffening as well. Spasticity is an important symptom to address because if left untreated, it is possible to seriously damage joints to the point of immobilization.
• Bladder and Bowel Problems: A more serious symptom of MS that is more likely to occur after initial diagnoses. Loss of bladder and bowel controls to a certain extent can occur, but luckily it is often easily regulated through diet and medication.

Physical Limitations

Multiple Sclerosis drastically affects the body and often makes life extremely hard for those diagnosed with MS. Multiple symptoms of MS limit mobility. Symptoms like vision problems, nerve damage in extremities, nutrient deficiencies causing bone deterioration and joint deterioration can all be linked to MS, with all symptoms affecting the mobility of the affected person. The damaging symptoms of MS can affect the posture, walking stride, balance and overall stance of a person diagnosed with MS, making it extremely important to seek caregiving and mobility services in the advanced stages of the disease.

Caring for someone with multiple sclerosis can be hard because much like taking care of an elderly parent or someone with a disability, you're going to have to do most of the heavy lifting simply because they are no longer able to. A secondary symptom of debilitating diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis is a result of the affected person not being able to do things on their own — depression. People value their independence and being able to help themselves, but with large amounts of nerve damage, people are no longer able to. Mobility products, such as swivel chairs and mobility chairs can give patients the slight feeling of independence, while also making day-to-day activities easier for both the patient and the caregiver. Check out our mobile disability chairs, as well as our mobility equipment for the elderly today to see what innovation looks like!

Product Spotlight: Titan Castered 30”

Our Titan Castered 30” is a mobility machine! Well, not literally, but it might be just as efficient as a machine. This 30-inch wide chair is perfectly padded and packed with bariatric support. This comfort chariot also rides on a pair of five-inch locking casters that make it the perfect rolling dining room chair. This upholstered dining room chair with casters can also go in the living room, as it’s large medically rated casters have no problem handling carpet.

The Titan Castered collection of mobility chair comes in multiple sizes including the popular models the 30” and 24”, and all are sure to give you the mobility you need to feel independent again. Available in three colors, you can even order it to match your home decor. This chair is functionality that meets comfort and style. Check out the Titan Castered 30” today.

We don't just care about selling our product, we care about how it betters the lives of people using it. So if you have had an experience, positive or negative, we want to hear about it. Be sure to contact us and let us know what you think of our products.