Multiple Sclerosis

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Name of Student

Institution affiliation

What is the condition/disease process/injury?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is chronic disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS), causing the body’s immune system to produce cells and proteins (antibodies) that attack myelin, a fatty substance that protects nerve fibers. There is no known absolute cause of MS. Although, it’s genetic, there reason to associate genetic factors in a making some people more susceptible to developing it.

What signs and symptoms do you expect?

Symptoms of MS include muscle weakness, bladder and bowel problems, vision problems, fatigue, difficulty walking, stiffness, and spasms.

Provide a history of present illness (HPI).

There is need to rule out certain diseases that may overlap with MS. These include emotional disorders, fibromyalgia, AIDS, Lyme disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, stroke, certain neurologic degenerative illnesses, transverse myelitis, and certain other autoimmune disorders.

What do you include in your focused assessment for this patient?

Assessment of MS is based on the following tests. Patient’s medical history, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, neurological exam, evoked potential tests and spinal fluid tests.

What equipment do you need?

The most important equipment for diagnosing MS is a Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. This equipment can track changes over time, thus determining the effectiveness of the treatment.

Describe the expected findings.

MRIs scans detect damaged myelin and injured tissue caused by MS as bright patches.

What developmental stage is your patient in?

The patient is in the Relapsing-Remitting MS (RMSS). It’s the most common form of MS and is associated with flare-ups followed by periods of remission.

How do you adapt your assessment for this stage?

Since there is no single exclusive one test for multiple sclerosis, a confirmation for is necessary...