WebMD has posted the results of two surveys indicating that almost 2/3rds of MS sufferers don’t take advantage of available mobility aid, or even discuss the issues with their physicians, resulting in significant emotional stress and lifestyle impairments.
Excerpt:
April 10, 2008 (New York) — The majority of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) say that trouble walking significantly affects their overall quality of life, yet many do not discuss their mobility issues with their doctors, according to two surveys.
The polls were conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Acorda Therapeutics Inc. and the National MS Society.
While 70% of people with MS who have difficulty walking say that it is the most challenging aspect of their disease, 39% of people with MS and almost 50% of their caregivers say that they rarely or never discuss this with their doctor.
Close to 70% of people with MS who have mobility problems say it affects their emotional health; about half say their mobility issues affect their ability to work and increase their daily expenditures.
In terms of mobility issues, “there are so many different areas to pursue,” he says. Several mobility aids — including canes, walkers, and electronic wheelchairs — are available to help people with MS, he says. According to the surveys, 32% of people with MS do use some type of mobility aid to get around. Of these, 37% said they are embarrassed by their use of such aids.
The first step is to evaluate the walking problem and identify the best strategies to improve it, he says. In addition to mobility aids, other tools are available depending on the problem. Exercise braces or electrical stimulation can help foot-drop (a compensatory technique that involves raising the heel on the stronger leg to make it easier to swing the weaker leg through); time and energy management can help curb MS-related fatigue, and there are drugs that can slow the disease course as well as treat spasticity and fatigue, he says.
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