Category Archives: Symptoms

Early Signs and Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis early signs, symptoms can be in such a mild form as not to be initially detectable.

MS early symptoms and signs appear at the onset of the disease, usually between the ages of 20 and 40. MS early symptoms and signs vary in duration and severity from one individual to the other and at different times in the same individual.

The most recurrent are:

walking difficulties
the sensation of having a weak or numb limb
cold or tingling feet
facial pain (Neuralgia)
blurred vision

Less common MS early symptoms include:

lack of coordination
cognitive difficulties
slurred speech
sudden onset of paralysis

As the disease progresses other symptoms can appear.

MS pain

MS pain is the type of pain that affects the central nervous system and pain syndromes are common amongst MS patients. Almost 50% of MS patients suffer s from chronic pain. There are several types of MS pain. The main types are:

Neuralgia, which is a stabbing pain in the face; it is usually treated with anticonvulsants.
Dysesthesias, which is a burning, aching body pain; it is usually treated with anticonvulsants and sometimes with antidepressants which act on the nervous central system.
Lhermitte sign, which is a brief, electric shock like sensation that runs down the spine and is caused by bending the neck forward or backward. It is controlled by means of a soft collar.
A chronic sensation of ‘pins and needles’, which is treated similarly to acute Dysesthesias.
Muscle spasm and cramps, which are treated with anti-inflammatory drugs.
Back and skeleton pains, which are treated with heat, massage and physical therapy.

Shrinkage of Brain Region May Signal Onset of Multiple Sclerosis

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Atrophy of a key brain area may become a new biomarker to predict the onset of multiple sclerosis, researchers say. If so, that would add to established criteria such as the presence of brain lesions to diagnose the progressive, incurable disorder.

Using special MRI images, scientists from three continents found that the thalamus — which acts as a “relay center” for nervous-system signals — had atrophied in nearly 43 percent of patients who had suffered an initial neurological episode that often comes before a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis.

“The telling appearance of lesions, which is a hallmark of the disease, is only part of the pathology,” said study author Dr. Robert Zivadinov, director of the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center at the University of Buffalo, in New York. “Our finding is more related to [initiating] clinical trials, to using thalamic volume as a new biomarker for testing and treatment, and to increasing awareness among investigators that this disease is more than just about lesions.”

The study was published online April 23 in the journalRadiology.

Believed to be an autoimmune disorder, MS results in lesions on the brain and spinal cord that disrupt nerve signals to various parts of the body. Symptoms, which can come and go, include numbness, tingling, vision disturbances, problems walking, dizziness, and bowel and bladder problems.

More than 2 million people live with MS worldwide, according to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.

For the new research, Zivadinov and his team used contrast-enhanced MRI images to evaluate more than 200 patients who had suffered an initial, short-term neurological episode known as clinically isolated syndrome. About 85 percent people who have one of these episodes will go on to be diagnosed with MS within two years, and the diagnosis also relies on a second attack and the detection of new or enlarging lesions using MRI.

The study performed follow-up scans on patients at six months, one year and two years. It found that decreases in the size of the thalamus were independently associated with the development of clinically definite MS, along with an increased volume in another part of the brain known as the lateral ventricles.

The findings suggest shrinkage of the thalamus could become a biomarker for MS because it’s detectable at a very early stage, Zivadinov said.

“What’s triggering this and how it’s connected with the thalamus should be explored,” he said, “but … that this research is indicating that the thalamus is profoundly affected so early on leads us to focus more on those regions of the brain.”

Dr. Gary Birnbaum, director of the MS Treatment and Research Center at the Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology, said he thinks the study highlights the concept that MS is a combination of inflammatory and degenerative processes.

But Birnbaum, who was not involved with the study, said measuring the size of the thalamus on special MRI scans is more complex than what is possible with traditional scans. He said this new finding needs to be confirmed before being useful in clinical MS diagnoses.

Setting new standards in multiple sclerosis care and research

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Setting new standards in multiple sclerosis care and research

In the run up to the 2012 European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) meeting in Lyon, France, two important new multiple sclerosis (MS) initiatives are making progress. The International Collaborative on Progressive MS published its agenda of research priorities in late August, while the European MS Platform (EMSP) is due to roll out the next stage of MS Nurse Professional (MS Nurse PRO), a programme to standardise training for MS nurses across Europe, in Barcelona, Spain, at the end of September. Despite taking very different approaches, these initiatives have the potential to benefit many of the estimated 2·5 million people worldwide who have MS.

About 10—15% of people with MS present with primary progressive disease and 80% of the rest develop secondary progressive MS within 20 years. But, despite relative success in the development of treatments for relapsing-remitting MS, the options for people with progressive MS remain limited and a breakthrough is desperately needed. The International Collaborative on Progressive MS, a group of researchers and representatives of MS patient societies from Europe and North America, has the ultimate goal of expediting the development of disease-modifying and symptomatic treatments. In its research agenda, the Collaborative outlines five priority areas for research: experimental models, identification and validation of therapeutic targets, strategies for proof-of-concept clinical trials, clinical outcome measures, and symptom management and rehabilitation. Working groups are now looking at how to overcome the barriers to progress in these areas, and a call to the wider MS research community to collaborate on ongoing and new projects to address these challenges is planned for 2013.

Meanwhile, MS Nurse PRO is being developed to improve care for people in Europe with MS of all types. Specialist MS nurses can be an important point of contact for patients from diagnosis onwards, and they can enable neurologists to devote more time to the patients who need it most and to research. However, in 2010, the MS-Nurse Empowering Education (MS-NEED) survey led by the EMSP identified substantial variability across Europe in the roles and training of MS nurses and in the quality and availability of nursing care. To address these disparities and provide formal recognition for MS nurses, the EMSP has developed MS Nurse PRO with input from the European Rehabilitation in MS (RIMS) network and the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Nurses (IOMSN), which already provides international training for MS nurses. MS Nurse PRO will be based on five core modules: epidemiology and pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and assessment, management of MS, and patient care and support. Despite the desire for standardisation, the training will accommodate national differences in the availability of drugs and the needs of employers of MS nurses, which can include charities, health-care providers, and pharmaceutical companies. The scheme has already run a pilot in Malta, and the Spanish launch with be the first test in a language other than English; MS Nurse PRO should also be available in German, Italian, and Czech by the end of 2012 and rolled out to other European countries from 2013 onwards.

Collaboration between organisations in different countries will be crucial for both projects. Large multicentre studies will be needed to overcome at least some of the barriers identified by the International Collaborative on Progressive MS, and any eventual recommendations, such as for outcome measures and trial design, will need to be recognised and implemented internationally if they are to lead to further progress. The MS Nurse PRO curriculum is accredited by the UK Royal College of Nursing, but similar endorsement in other countries will be needed if the programme is to become a standard qualification across Europe. The results from Malta and Spain, a planned consensus paper, and a written declaration in the European Parliament calling for recognition in member states should raise awareness. Funding will also be needed to sustain MS Nurse PRO beyond the development phase, which is being supported by a pharmaceutical company. For the International Collaborative on Progressive MS, member societies and government, corporate, and private organisations have been identified as potential sources of financial support.

More information should be available on both initiatives at ECTRIMS: from the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, one of the societies behind the International Collaborative on Progressive MS, and from the EMSP. With enough funding and collaborative will, these initiatives could be important opportunities to improve the lives of thousands of people, and we look forward to following their progress.

is there a problem with your wheelchair van or vehicle lift?

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are you having trouble with your wheelchair van, ramp van, braun ability van, vantage mobility van, eldorado, amerivan, ricon lift, braun lift, grey market van, ams Legend, Edge, Edge II, Freedom, FR ?

No Worries We Can Fix It!

even if you have had other toyota dealer, dodge dealer, ford dealer, honda dealer or a different adaptive mobility equipment dealer try and fix it. call us we can help.

Almost all wheelchair van and lift problems can be attributed to three main things. I would like to talk a little about each one and what you can do to be proactive in preventing problems that could stop your lift from operating.?

Reason Number 1: Operator Error. It may not be P.C. to bring it up, but many issues are caused by the user hurrying, not taking the proper precautions, or simply attempting to operate the van or lift in a situation it is not designed for. Let me expand on this a little.

We all know the obvious things an operator can do wrong. Lowering a lift on to extremely uneven ground or folding a platform into a van door that is not fully opened, if you have manual doors. The things that you need to think about are the issues that aren’t so obvious, but can still cause damage. Things like making sure you fully fold the platform when you are putting it in the stowed position. A lot of times people tend to release the fold switch too soon because the lift makes excessive noise when it cinches tight. Far from being a problem, that noise is a good thing What you’re hearing is the electric actuator “ratcheting,” which tells you that the lift is fully stowed and will not rattle as much while you’re driving. A tightly stowed platform will prevent certain lift components from wearing out prematurely, so be sure to keep the fold button pressed!

Another not-so-obvious issue is to make sure the outer roll stop deploys fully before you exit the platform. Think about it. If you are in a hurry and the roll stop is not completely down on the ground, your weight when rolling off of it is going to put excessive stress on those parts and you could cause problems that are easily avoidable. Even if the tip of the roll stop is up just a little bit, take the time to lower it completely before you exit the platform.?

Reason Number 2: Lack of Maintenance. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance – I can’t say those words enough! Your dealer should set up a maintenance program for you and your lift should be in their shop for a regular check up at least twice a year. Every lift built after 2005 has a cycle counter on it that will tell us the total number of times you’ve used your lift, and all lifts should be maintained every 750 cycles. This is a short point. All you need to know is that if you don’t maintain your lift, something will eventually stop working!

Reason Number 3: Broken Parts. No matter what the product, we’ve all encountered that unexpected broken part that seems to go bad for no apparent reason. This actually represents a small percentage of wheelchair lift failures, and it can usually be avoided if the van or lift is maintained on a regular basis (see reason #2 above!). A typical situation might be a wiring harness that gets cut by component. This type of issue rarely happens out-of-the-blue, and with routine maintenance your dealer should be able to see the problem starting to occur and fix it before it gets worse.

That about sums it up The bottom line is that a properly operated and maintained wheelchair van or lift should give you years of reliable service. Read your manual and work closely with Automotive Innovations to make sure your lift is ready to go whenever you are. If you have any questions or are having an issue with your wheelchair van or lift feel free to call us at 508-697-6006.

5 Ways to Identify Risk for Brain Injury

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5 Ways to Identify Risk for Brain Injury

The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts recently released a statement regarding proper treatment of brain injuries and how to recognize potentially fatal symptoms. Vmi New England and Automotive Innovations would like to share this information with you and urge that those who are ever near a event like the one at the Boston Marathon on Patriots Day 2013 seek medical attention if they are experiencing any symptoms or conditions that are out of the ordinary.

Symptoms of brain injury include dizziness, vomiting, headaches, confusion, memory loss, and trouble sleeping, among others. The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA) offers a variety of resources including but not limited to: counselors, neurologists and neuropsychologists, rehabilitative facilities, and physical, occupational and speech therapists. Speak with someone in our Information and Resources Department by calling our toll-free help line at 1-800-242-0030, or visit www.biama.org.

“Brain injuries following a blast or explosion may not be evident immediately, but felt in the days, weeks and months following a blast,” says BIA-MA Executive Director Arlene Korab. “However severe, blast-related brain injuries may leave you with a long road to recovery. It is important to be familiar with the signs of brain injury and you may want to know where to turn next.

• Be watchful. Keep an eye on someone who was near the blasts when they occurred, even if the person seemed fine immediately following the incident.

• Know the symptoms. Dizziness, vomiting, headaches and confusion are some signs that a person could have a brain injury and needs to be taken to the emergency room.

• Look for changes. Any sudden changes in the severity or type of symptoms, or in the person’s behavior can be a sign that he or she needs medical attention.

• Know the risk factors. Be especially wary if the injured person has been drinking alcohol, is a young athlete, elderly or on blood thinners. When in doubt, take the person to the hospital.

• Above all, seek medical attention if you experience any of the symptoms listed above or just feel “off.”

BIA-MA offers information and resources on brain injury services to survivors, families, and professionals in the field. BIA-MA can connect you with the most appropriate medical and rehabilitative professionals and services. In addition, we have 33 support groups around the Commonwealth to offer ongoing support to victims, family members and caregivers. For more information, call our toll-free help line at 1-800-242-0030, or visit www.biama.org.