Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an incurable disease where the body’s immune system eats away at the protective casing around nerve endings. This results in nerve damage that progresses over time and can cause symptoms such as pain, fatigue, loss of vision, and issues with balance and coordination. Your nerves need to function properly in order for messages from your brain to your body to be processed, so if they are damaged it can disrupt your body’s natural processes.
While there is no cure for MS, there are treatments available that can ease symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. Multiple sclerosis care plans will depend on the severity of the disease and your symptoms, and vary from person to person.
Speak to Your Doctor
The first step in the disease management process is to talk with your doctor about your symptoms. They can help you evaluate the severity of your MS and get you set up with treatment. They can also refer you to any specialists you may need to see and prescribe you medication that can help with your symptoms.
Home Care
If your symptoms are debilitating you may qualify for home care for your MS. Physical therapy is a key part of treating MS and it may be possible to have a physical therapist come to your house on a regular basis to work with you. This is something to bring up with your doctors. They can walk you through how to get this kind of assistance and find out whether it would be covered by your insurance or not. It’s also possible to put together a nursing care plan for multiple sclerosis if you need help performing every day tasks.
Financial Assistance
Your multiple sclerosis care plan may also qualify you for financial assistance. MS can result in a great deal of medical bills and prescription costs as well as an inability to work, so you may need some extra financial support. There are multiple MS foundations that you can reach out to for help and more information. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has tons of information and can walk you through the necessary steps to get the help you need.
Putting together a multiple sclerosis care plan can take time, because there are so many different aspects to it. However, it can make the disease much more manageable and help to slow it down so that you can live your life as normally as possible.
