Multiple Sclerosis and the Self :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Multiple Sclerosis and the Self Multiple sclerosis is a devastating disease that attacks the mylination on the axons of neurons, causing many problems. Patients with MS must worry about how they will get around, see, and manage everyday activities. However, probably one of the most devastating and stigmatizing aspects of the disease is its effects on one's cognitive capabilities. This in combination with its paralyzing effects can produce a diminished sense of self in the patients as well as a diminished sense of being in others. The sensory-motor effects of MS can be very debilitating. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). MS often begins with numbness in the legs and hands. This, along with weakness and spasticity, is one of the hallmark signs of MS. As the disease progresses, many patients suffer from other motor problems associated with the weakness and spasticity. Patients may have trouble with coordination and balance. This may eventually result in paralysis, either partial or full. Another symptom of MS is visual problems. According to Rose et al., patients who show visual problems may do so in a variety of ways. They can range from blurred vision to blindness. These problems are compounded by exposure to heat. In addition, fatigue and stress can also cause the symptoms to worsen. Fatigue is often a unavoidable consequence of the disease. People with MS often spend much of their energy simply trying to control their movements. They have little energy left for other activities. This lack of energy causes further worsening of symptoms which can cause further fatigue. This may leave the patient feeling that any attempt to be active is futile if not counter productive. Inactivity can lead patients to shut themselves off from the world. While the motor symptoms are the most visible, MS patients also exhibit some cognitive problems. The MS Center lists some of the most common problems of cognition as problems of attention and concentration. Patients often have problems concentrating on more than one thing at one time. They are easily distracted, and when they try to get back to the initial activity, they often have to begin over. This distraction can then affect their memory of those things because it may fail to be encoded in memory. If the information actually enters their memory, patients may have problems retrieving information. In addition, they may also have problems with speech.