Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/87297
While steroids can quiet flares, drugs that limit the Signs and Symptoms No single clinical examination or medical test confirms the existence of MS. The clinician depends on each patient's symptomatic and family history, combined with the results from spinal taps, MRIs, and nerve conduction tests, to make a near-final diagnosis. Even after clinical testing is complete, a firm diagnosis is not possible without two factors: 1) the patient has experienced two flares at least one month apart, affecting different parts of the body; and 2) test results have ruled out similar conditions. The patient's prognosis is determined by the form of MS initially diagnosed, the severity and frequency of flares, and the efficiency with which the body heals during remissions. Regardless if medication has been administered recently, symptoms manifest according to the form of MS, if there is a presence or absence of flares, or if the patient is in remission. Following is the most common symptomatic picture of an MS patient: • Depression. • Dysfunction in urinating and sexual performance. • Impaired cognition. • Nausea, diarrhea, indigestion. • Pain in the eye or eyes, with compromised vision. • Paresthesias (numbness, tingling, burning) in the hands and feet. • Profound fatigue. • Stumbling, loss of coordination. • Weakness, spasm, stiffness, and/or cramping in the extremity muscles. immune system's response to inflammation, reduce flares, and prolong periods of remission are now most commonly used to treat MS. Interferon betas allow many patients to live almost symptom-free. These drugs, which are immunomodulators, help manage relapsing MS and reduce the development of brain lesions (injury to nerves in the brain caused by demyelination). Chemotherapeutic agents, also called antineoplastics, quiet the immune system but are reserved to treat the most severe cases of MS. Drug cocktails (combinations of two or more medications) can address a variety of symptoms, yet all of these medications have serious, long-term, adverse side effects. HOW CAN MASSAGE THERAPY HELP? The careful administration of massage therapy techniques can help relieve muscle cramping, spasm, spasticity, and hand and foot paresthesias. Secondary limb and joint compensatory stiffness, contractures, and localized edema can be addressed with effective soft-tissue and range of motion (ROM) techniques. Depression can be reduced and an altered self- image can be improved by compassionate bodywork. Because of the mercurial symptomatic picture presented by most clients with MS, therapeutic goals will shift frequently. Given both the musculoskeletal involvement of MS and the understandable accompanying stress, the following three general goals can be combined with the client's specific concerns: 1) relieving musculoskeletal pain, spasm, and stiffness on the affected and compensating sides of the body; 2) reducing stress; and 3) helping maintain thoracic capacity and efficient breathing patterns. Ideally, you should see your client weekly if her life and budget allow. Discuss with her if two 30-minute sessions in the same week might be better tolerated than one 60-minute session. Inconsistent, infrequent therapy yields little improvement but can still provide situational stress relief and palliative care. ASSESSING YOUR MS CLIENT No two clients with MS will present with the same complaints; even the same client may present with different symptoms before each session. The following questions will help you assess the client's immediate concerns and determine short- and long-term treatment goals: • In which stage of MS has she been diagnosed? • When was her last flare? • Is she in pain today? Where? • Is she experiencing bowel or bladder difficulty? • When was her last injection? Which site? Is it tender? • Which activities of daily life are the most challenging? • How are her muscles compensating for her altered gait? • Does she experience paresthesias? Where? • What other health-care specialists is she seeing? • Which specific symptoms would she like to address today? www.abmp.com. See what benefits await you. 61