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It is important to remember that MS is only one part of a person and not the person.

MS does not represent them, it is not their identity, they are as normal as the next person.  

Management                                                                                                                                                                                               

You may need to make some changes to your lifestyle because of MS, but remember that MS is only a part of your life – there are many other things still going on in your life that you want or need to do. Managing your MS is part of living your life – it is not just a medical condition to be treated. Having the support and understanding of family, friends and colleagues can help you to manage things more effectively.
 

Over time, you may find your own ways of managing symptoms and of keeping as fit and healthy as possible. Is it helpful to remain in touch with your health team or should they keep in touch with you? Exercise and diet are two areas of life which many people find helpful to control.

Some may find it helpful to attend the Expert Patients Programme – a six-week course, offered by the MS Society, to help people gain skills for living with a long-term condition.  

Multi-disciplinary support                                                                                                                                                                         

The team which supports you to manage your MS might involve many different specialist areas of expertise, including:

• MS specialist nursing.
• Physiotherapy.
• Dietary advice.
• Fatigue management.
• Pain control.

Not everywhere will a formal ‘multi-disciplinary’ team be available, but you should be able to access help in these different areas through a central point of contact. Your GP, MS nurse or social worker, for example. Any health or social care professional should be able to refer you to someone with expertise. If you feel you need more advice or support be sure to ask for it.

A multidisciplinary approach to MS is required to enable the MS person to obtain the maximum benefit from the various medications offered :

• Exercise - muscle thrives on stimulus.
• Nutrition - Proper nutrition is needed - certain aspects of diseases may interfere with the absorption of nutrients.
• Diets - that sufferers are encouraged to follow may create deficiencies that can affect their health.
• Supplements - Sufferers are encouraged to use supplements when it may not be necessary - individual testing and use if needed will be more constructive.  
• MS Suffers - need information that enables them to understand the disease, to make informed choices, and to be able to challenge decisions made for them
• DMD’s + Exercise + Nutrition + Support = The multidisciplinary approach
• Keep a diary of your symptoms, the effects of any treatments you are undergoing, how you feel generally, what pain you may experience. You may look well on the outside but feel awful on the inside - do not expect others to know and understand how you fee,l they will not unless they tell them.
• None of the medications - treatments listed will work in all cases, therefore it is important that clinicians have at their disposal a range of different medications.
• Naturopaths, Acupuncturists, Herbalists, Homeopaths, complementary / alternative therapy therapists cannot cure MS, they may be able to help with lifestyle and health issues, and then only if they have knowledge and understanding in depth of the disease itself.
• When considering the use of complimentary / alternative therapy ensure that the therapist is qualified and registered with an appropriate body. Discuss the subject with your clinician. Symptoms of MS may be masked by complimentary / alternative treatments leading to the advancement of the disease without it becoming immediately apparent.

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