Not everybody who has Multiple Sclerosis will have the same symptoms. It is a disease that represents itself differently to patients. Also, an MS diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean your loved one has been handed a death sentence either. Fortunately, it can be controlled and stay in remission with the right medications and treatments from hospice care in Burbank Ca.
On the other hand, in some severe cases, symptoms may start to worsen and this can lead to various disabilities. Even though the illness itself is not fatal, it is the complications from MS that bring about a person’s demise.
When an individual is going through the final stages of MS at, which is also referred to as advanced multiple sclerosis, the person’s independence greatly reduces. The person’s medical issues become extremely complex at this stage and need constant monitoring by a caregiver preferably at a hospice. Also, the caregiver may be required to offer personal care and assistance with daily activities that this person can no longer do on their own.
As mentioned before, the disease is changeable. Therefore, not everyone with MS will experience the final stages. But it is vital that hospice care like those in Los Angeles and Burbank Ca provide you with the right information to arm you with the knowledge of what the final stages of multiple sclerosis could be and to have a complete idea of the disease. Hospice care health professionals believe that the best and only way for people with MS and their loved ones to be ready is to have information.
What Is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?
It is an immune-mediated process that involves the body’s immune system to attack the central nervous system. When this occurs, the damaged areas develop multiple areas of scar tissue. Hence the fact the disease is named multiple sclerosis.
Although the cause of MS is not known, the medical community claims it involves genetics, immune system abnormalities, as well as environmental factors.
Sadly, there is no cure for Multiple Sclerosis, but the correct treatment can contribute to slowing down the advancement of the disease. Early diagnosis provides the best chances to manage the symptoms.
How Long Can People With MS Live?
Fortunately, the modern advancements in treatment and lifestyle wellness plans are allowing MS patients to live longer. Currently people with MS have a life expectancy of around seven years shorter than those without the disease. In extraordinary cases, MS can lead to a premature death.
How Does Multiple Sclerosis Progress?
As the disease progresses, there is a possibility of severe disability which occurs to ⅓ of individuals living with the disease. Although walking aides such as crutches and canes can help to retain a person’s ability to stay mobile. MS treatment can provide some relief, but in some patients the disease may continue to progress.
Medical professionals can do all they can to help MS patients, however, they can’t predict how MS will advance in a person. Normally, patients may have extended periods of showing little to no symptoms, or remission, before deteriorating again and having another period of illness.
Studies reveal that specific factors can be a guide to the progression of a person’s illness. The results reveal that individuals who do better are usually those with:
- Very little relapses or attacks in the first several years after diagnosis.
- Extended periods of time between relapses.
- Complete recovery from attacks.
- Sensory symptoms such as tingling, numbness, or vision issues.
- Neurological exam results that are almost normal after five years.
People who have Multiple Sclerosis that may advance faster or severely are often those with the following symptoms:
- Experience an early onset tremor, coordination, or problems walking.
- Numerous attacks and incomplete recoveries.
- Early development of neurological issues, such as blurry vision or muscle weakness.
- An MRI scan reveals more visible lesions in the early stages of the illness. MS results in hardened patches of tissue (or lesions) to appear in multiple places within the central nervous system.
What Are The Complications Of Multiple Sclerosis’s Final Stages?
The initial signs and symptoms of MS are usually first experienced when a person is in their twenties or thirties. Here are a few of the early signs of MS to look out for:
Fatigue: Feeling tired and weak are normal symptoms of MS since nerve damage to the spine results in chronic fatigue and even pain.
Tingling and Numbness: MS patients experience tingling and numbness in the arms,fingers, legs, and face. This can begin as a mild symptom and become more severe in later stages of the disease.
Vision Issues: Many MS patients first complain of vision issues. The inflammation affects the optic nerves resulting in a blurry vision, double vision, color distortion, pain when trying to look up or even to the side, or complete loss of vision.
Balance Issues: Not being able to balance oneself is a common early symptom of MS. This includes dizziness, faintness, nausea, and weakness, which results in problems walking and standing.
Bladder Issues: Although bladder issues can be noticeable in the early stages of MS, it can become more severe in its later stages. This can include incontinence, more urgency or frequency of urination, problems starting urination, or night-time urination.
Emotional and Cognitive Issues
Some MS patients at hospice care facilities like those in Burbank Ca will experience emotional and cognitive problems which include problems with memory, attention span, concentration, problem-solving, abstract reasoning and talking.
Other problems that can happen during multiple sclerosis’s final stages include the following:
- Osteoporosis or the loss of bone density.
- Pressure sores or skin wounds are brought about by lack of movement or long episodes in a bed.
- Swallowing problems can happen and food or liquid can get into the lungs, resulting in swelling or infection.
- Pain. This can include a vast range of sensations, from itching, burning, or aching to sharp, shock-like pain.
- Pulmonary complications. MS can weaken the muscles that control the lungs. For example respiratory issues are the major cause of illness and death in people in the final stages of MS.
- Spasticity or an increase in stiffness and resistance as a muscle is moved can impair movement and result in pain and other issues.
- Lack of appetite or dehydration, which can occur from swallowing issues or other effects of MS.
How Can A Hospice Help?
A person going through the final stages of MS or any other serious illness can qualify and benefit from hospice care if they have a life expectancy of six months or less. A hospice is there to relieve symptoms and enhance the patient’s comfort, so he or she can have the best possible quality of life each day.
