Multiple Sklerose

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Multiple Sclerosis: The History of a Disease won a 2005 ForeWord Book of the Year Silver Medal! The basic facts about multiple sclerosis are well known: it is the most common neurologic disease of young adults, usually beginning with episodic attacks of neurologic symptoms, then entering a progressive phase some years later. Its onset has an average age of 30, and occurs in about 1 in 500 individuals of European ancestry living primarily in temperate climates. There appears to be a complex interaction between a genetic predisposition and an environmental trigger that initiates the disease. But these facts do not convey the impact of the disease on the people whose lives it affects. In this elegantly written and comprehensive history, we meet individuals who suffered with MS in the centuries before the disease had a name, including blessed Lidwina of Holland, who took joy from her misery, believing that she was sent to accept suffering for the sins of others; Augustus d'Est, grandson of George III and cousin of Queen Victoria, whose case shows how someone with access to the best of medical care of the age was understood and managed; and Heinrich Heine, the great German poet, who also had access to all medical services that were available, but who progressed into his mattress grave in two decades, aware of the loss of physical ability while still able to compose great poetry to the end. From these early cases the author demonstrates how progress in diagnosing and managing multiple sclerosis has paralleled the development of medical science, from the early developments in modern studies of anatomy and pathology, to the framing of the disease in the nineteenth century, and eventually to modern diagnosis and treatment. From beginning to end, Dr. Murray takes us on a fascinating journey of discovery, in the process showing how the evolution of our understanding of multiple sclerosis has been part of the greater history of medical knowledge.

Comprehensive text highlighting current clinical research in the area of multiple sclerosis. Includes expanded coverage of genetics, neurobiology, pathophysiology, and historical background.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic and often disabling disease of the nervous system, affecting about 1 million people worldwide. Even though it has been known for over a hundred years, no cause or cure has yet been discovered-but now there is hope. New therapies have been shown to slow the disease progress in some patients, and the pace of discoveries about the cellular machinery of the brain and spinal cord has accelerated. This book presents a comprehensive overview of multiple sclerosis today, as researchers seek to understand its processes, develop therapies that will slow or halt the disease and perhaps repair damage, offer relief for specific symptoms, and improve the abilities of MS patients to function in their daily lives. The panel reviews existing knowledge and identifies key research questions, focusing on: Research strategies that have the greatest potential to understand the biological mechanisms of recovery and to translate findings into specific strategies for therapy. How people adapt to MS and the research needed to improve the lives of people with MS. Management of disease symptoms (cognitive impairment, depression, spasticity, vision problems, and others). The committee also discusses ways to build and financially support the MS research enterprise, including a look at challenges inherent in designing clinical trials. This book will be important to MS researchers, research funders, health care advocates for MS research and treatment, and interested patients and their families.

This book proceeds through diagnosis (initial symptoms, criteria and classification, imaging, lab tests, and differential diagnosis), approved treatments for the various MS types (including emerging therapies where appropriate), symptom management, rehabilitative issues and general health and wellness, considerations for special populations, societal and family issues, CCSVI, related disorders that are often mistaken for MS, and an overview of MS clinical trials. To enhance the clinical utility, “bottom line” information will be pulled out and boxed or bolded for quick reference. Illustrations, tables, graphs, and assessment scales will inform the text throughout. Chapters will open and close with lists of key points where appropriate, and treatment chapters will include specific recommendations where available (AAN guidelines, Cochrane; including levels of evidence to support recommendations) and highlight areas of controversy. Selected chapters will also feature a section on the “Cleveland Clinic approach” to go beyond the literature and provide real-world guidance for practitioners.

This book has been written for those newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. It is a guide to learning about the disease, its potential impact on your life, and the medical treatments now available for managing it successfully. This is a time of great excitement in research and advances in clinical management, such that most people who have multiple sclerosis can lead full and productive lives. This fourth edition is current and updated throughout, and includes a review of the controversy surrounding CCVSI and multiple sclerosis, discussion of the new pill Gelenya and other drugs in development for multiple sclerosis, new information on the drug Tysabri, and discussion of treatments and complementary and alternative medicine in MS. This the place to begin your education about MS.

The most trusted book on multiple sclerosis, updated and revised with the latest research in combating the disease Once known as the "crippler of young adults," now more than 75 percent of MS patients will never need a wheelchair. In Multiple Sclerosis, Dr. Louis J. Rosner and Shelley Ross explain that there genuinely is new hope, more than ever before, both for controlling the disease today and curing it tomorrow. Updated with the latest research and terminology, this revised edition gets to the bottom of every treatment option from the tried-and-true to today's cutting-edge and experimental therapies. Its trusted advice covers every step of living with MS, what you need to know, and what you need to ask. Dr. Louis Rosner and Shelley Ross explain what the disease is, who gets it and why, and what people with MS can do to continue living happy and healthy lives. Whether you or your loved one has just been diagnosed with MS or has lived with it for a while, Multiple Sclerosis gives you the information you need to live well with the disease, including: • The diagnosis: how to understand and identify MS as early as possible • The varying symptoms and courses of the disease: how to recognize and treat them • The emotional struggles that come with MS: where to turn for support • The most current medical research and therapies available to MS patients: how to know if they are right for you For decades, this trusted handbook has helped those with MS and their families and friends to treat and understand their disease. Research brings us closer to a cure every day, but until that day comes, patients have, in this book, the very best tool for beating MS -- the facts.