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A balanced diet is an essential lifestyle change in order to live a better life with multiple sclerosis. Studies and research suggest that following a mediterranean diet can lower the risk of worsening symptoms. Depending on the patient, changing a diet can be difficult and could cause some hardship. On a scale of 1-10, changing diet could be an 8, due to the restraints and the discipline that may be required with the diet, additionally the consistency with a diet. Furthermore, this could be diagnosed to a patient by a registered dietitian or a nutritionist.

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Some long-term medication options for patients with Multiple Sclerosis include oral drugs like teriflunomide (Aubagio) and siponimod (Mayzent). The average cost for a 30 day supply of teriflunomide (name brand Aubagio) is over $9,000, but generic brand can be as low as $11. The average cost of siponimod (name brand Mayzent) can exceed over $17,000 (over $88,000 per year). If a patient chooses not to seek treatment because of cost, they risk faster disease progression, greater disability over time, and more frequent flare ups.

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Hispanic men are more negatively affected by MS because of the how the biological progression of the disease differs of other populations . Those of hispanic descent are more likely to develop lesions on their spinal cord and lower brainstem than Caucasians. Problems in the spinal cord are also more common, but it’s not exactly clear why. Some challenges that Hispanic men can face, with treatment, are a lack of knowledge and socioeconomic factors. Often, Hispanic men are more likely to experience barriers in accessing health care due to financial challenges or lower health care literacy. This can affect Hispanic mental and physical health, often resulting in a negative impact on the individual.

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White people have the highest rate of developing MS in the United States. Those of Asian or Hispanic descent have the lowest rate.

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Compared to men, women are 2 to 3 times more likely to have MS.

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One of the first symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis is numbness and tingling in the face, body, or limbs. This could present as having less sensation in certain limbs, less feeling in phalanges, or "pins and needles."

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People from the ages of 20 to 40 are more likely to experience and display symptoms of MS than people under the age of 20 are.

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The climate is also a risk factor that can be seen commonly in people affected by multiple sclerosis. It is far more common for temperate climates to have people with multiple sclerosis, such as the Northern United States, New Zealand, and South-Eastern Australia.

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Blurry or double vision is a common symptom for multiple sclerosis.

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The brain is greatly affected by Multiple Sclerosis, as the disease attacks the white matter of the brain, which is the tissue in the brain that is composed of myelinated axons, and the back of the brain. This can cause communication difficulties, as the disease attacks and breaks down communication between the whole body and the brain. Making the brain lose sight of communication necessities, such as walking and mobility, singles. The brain can be affected differently depending on each person, but, affects each person's brain communication, to their mobility.

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The inflammation caused by multiple sclerosis affects the spinal cord greatly. Over time the inflammation can lead to the formation of an astrocytic scar which is visible through MRI. The damages can involve both white and gray matter.

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Myeline cells are protective sheaths that surrounds the brain and spinal cord nerves. In Multiple Sclerosis 2, the immune system mistakenly attacks these myeline cells. The damage to the protective myeline sheaths disrupts nerves that signal basic functions sent through the body. Functions that are hindered include sight, motion, and sense.

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The anatomical structures involved in Multiple Sclerosis are the brain and spinal cord, also known as the central nervous system. More specifically, the CNS is made up of nerve cells including neurons, glial cells, gray matter, and white matter. Neurons are composed of a cell body (soma), dendrites, and axons. Around the axons is a protective covering called myelin which acts and insulation and allows information to travel quickly and effectively.

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To help diagnose Multiple Sclerosis, a physician may order a lumbar puncture. With this, a small sample of CSF is taken to a lab to test for specific antibodies linked to MS. The CSF can also be tested for certain infections that may display similar symptoms to MS.

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A common diagnosis made for MS includes an MRI. By using an MRI, an overview of the brain and spinal cord is shown, highlighting areas where the disease is active. These areas are called lesions and are commonly used to reveal the central nervous system and the extent of MS affecting the brain.

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Having leaking accidents, difficultly urinating getting to the toilet, and needing to urinate more often.

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Difficulty walking or being unable to walk at all. 

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Difficulty walking or being unable to walk at all. 

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Physical activity can help slow down the progression of certain symptoms. Practicing strengthening exercises can help people that suffer from multiple sclerosis improve their ability to walk.

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Infusion Therapy refers to administering medication more commonly DTM's into the blood stream via IV, delivering a much higher dose of medication compared to orally taken drugs. DTM's specifically target the immune's systems inflammatory attack on the nervous system to lessen the damage to the myelin sheaths. DTM's reduce the frequency's of MS relapses referring to the delay or development of MS.

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Multiple Sclerosis can cause chronic or permanent disruptions to vision, including optic neuritis, color blindness, as well as total vision loss. Chronic neuritis usually occurs in one eye at a time and the prolonged inflammation of the optic nerve causes damage to the nerve fibers, ultimately leading to color blindness or total vision loss. Optic neuritis causes a large "blind spot," leaving the person with a prominent, black hole in the middle of their visual field. This "blind spot" is not curable with eyeglasses or medications.

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Within MS, some of the long-term effects include cognitive issues affecting overall functioning, speed, memory, and daily activities. Overall, individuals living with MS, after 20 years, are 24% to 43% more likely to develop cognitive issues. This is primarily because symptoms can increase over time and affect the brain's center of communications. Some of the more detrimental issues include processing information and memory.

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Also more commonly known as muscle cramps is the painful tightening and contracting of the muscles. Relapsing Remitting MS causes symptoms to flare up causing involuntary and predictable muscle spasms. Methods such as relaxants, stretching, and massages are used to prevent muscle spasms however these methods aren't always reliable.

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Depression can be a long-term emotional effect that affects people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Living with MS can be a hard journey, especially if the symptoms worsen or advance to the point they cannot be treated. Inflammation caused by MS has been studied and it has been considered to be a contributing factor to depression.

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The Interferon beta-1a injection in either Avonex or Rebif,  for treating MS is $1270-$1500 per month. Insurance is most likely to cover the injection; however, it depends on the insurance provider and their policies. By not receiving the Interferon beta-1a treatment, those experiencing MS will experience worsening symptoms due to the patients' inflamed myelin sheaths, causing more consistent relapses.

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Physical therapy helps manage the pain of some of the symptoms brought with multiple sclerosis. The expected cost of physical therapy for treating a person diagnosed with multiple sclerosis is between $75 and $120 per session.  A referral from a doctor is necessary for insurance to cover the physical therapy sessions. Most insurance plans will only cover a certain amount of sessions during the year. If patients do not follow the orders of their doctors and decide to not follow up with their physical therapy sessions because of the cost, symptoms can worsen and functions of their bodies can be permanently damaged.

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Antidepressants are one of the most commonly prescribed medications to treat depression by targeting certain chemicals in the brain to improve a patient's emotions. Multiple effects could happen due to antidepressants, such as long-term effects like mood changes, sleeping issues, and the development of Bipolar disorder. For this treatment, a physiatrist would be needed to prescribe this medication; however, they would also need a referral from a therapist to go through with a psychiatrist.

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This type of therapy provides an impactful approach, which helps patients with Multiple Sclerosis understand their negative thoughts and work towards a better life with MS. CBT can be useful in treating depression and anxiety, which are common in patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. Licensed providers that are able to practice CBT are psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed professional counselors, licensed social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, psychiatric nurses, and other licensed professionals with mental health training.

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Grasp pattern treatment is the patient's focus on handling and manipulating objects of varying weights and sizes.Grasp pattern exercises are beneficial to treat weakened and fatigued hand and arm muscles because of reduced hand coordination. This helps patients with MS maintain or regain the ability to perform everyday functions like holding a cup, using a fork, or writing. Grasp pattern exercises are prescribed by occupational therapists.

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One of the many treatments that is used to improve MS is gait training. Gait training is used to improve walking by using specialized equipment, like a harness, to support a person while practicing walking or movement. This is designed to treat long-term mobility issues and improve coordination. This treatment works towards preventing symptoms from progressing, preventing permanent damage. Physical therapists are the professionals required to deliver the gait training exercises.

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Doing regular, moderate activity like walking, swimming, or yoga will help MS patients improve muscle strength, balance, and flexibility. On a scale of 1-10, the difficulty of this task should be a 5/10, depending on the person and their activity levels prior to their condition. Professionals such as physical therapists and personal trainers can help a person make these lifestyle changes.

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The Robot-Guided Ankle Sensorimotor helps improve mobility and allows patients with MS to work on maintaining balance and gaining more strength. A six week trial studied the effectiveness of this technology and the results showed patients had a better range of motion and increased muscle strength. Some negative aspects regarding the Robot-Guided Ankle Sensorimotor is the high cost of the tool as well as limited accessibility because operating the machine is high maintenance.

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One of the most common and well known tools used to help diagnose and monitor patients with MS is MRI scans. An MRI is a type of medical technology used to create images by using strong magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the inside of a patient’s body. For MS patients, it is especially useful for detecting lesions on the brain and spinal cord, which helps doctors identify and diagnose the disease. Some contraindications to using MRI machines are risks to those with metal objects and/or implants in their body (ex: pacemaker, metal shards in eye, aneurysm clips), burns if the patient touches the side of the machine, and allergic reactions to the contrast.

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Promoting a healthy life style that balances out a good diet and involves physical activity is essential for patients with MS. Bringing awareness to these important factors can ensure patients with MS are working toward maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Research suggests exercise helps improve mood and strength for patients with MS. However, there can be constraints that prevent a patient from fully being able to have accesses to a healthy life style, such as, financial constraints and unhealthy motivation.

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In an attempt to manage and prevent multiple sclerosis, it is recommended that patients maintain adequate vitamin D levels through sun exposure, diet, or supplementation. Supplementation of vitamin D has been shown to reduce MS activity on MRI scans and is associated with lower relapse risk. However, getting a sufficient amount of vitamin D may be difficult for some individuals. This may include physical barriers that limit going outside, limited access to vitamin D-rich foods, and not having the financial funding to buy supplements.

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Older adults are affected differently by MS than other populations primarily because of the age factor and on top of MS treatment they may already be taking other medication, so there is a risk of drug interactions. As individuals get older their immune system changes, which increases the risk of symptoms worsening. Older cells cannot launch massive immune assaults, causing chronic low-grade inflammation. This causes long-term health problems, which can delay diagnosis.  In older adults there is a higher likelihood of the disease progressing faster leading to relapsing remitting MS.

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We chose to study multiple sclerosis because we were intrigued by the misinformation of this disease. We are interested in learning more about it and being able to relate this disease to traumatic brain injury.