Life Insurance for MS Patients

We hear it often, you already tried and your life insurance was denied for multiple sclerosis. If you have no life insurance because of MS, we can definitely help.

More About Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis is a long-time disorder that affects the nerves. The myelin sheath is prone to damage by the body's defense setup. Myelin sheath is a heavy layer that shields the axons. Channeling of stimuli is rapid due to the myelin sheath. The immune system destroys the cells that form the insulating layer. The destroying impact weakens the CNS and destroys it over time. MS affects the brain, spinal column, and optical nerves. Today, 2.5 million people in the world live with MS. One million of these people live in the USA. MS occurs at the ages of 20 to 40.

In some cases, it occurs in children and adolescents. The exact cause of MS is unknown. Researchers believe that genetic and non-genetic elements cause MS. Common causes are infections, genetics, natural factors, along with metabolic factors. They activate an autoimmune disorder. The disorder is constant in attacking the CNS causing MS.

Types of MS

Relapsing-remitting MS RRMS

It covers 85% of all types of MS. Symptoms become worse, followed by cases of improvement or fading.

Primary progressive MS-PPMS

Symptoms worsen from the beginning. There are no instances of getting better or symptoms fading. There are occasions when the disorder calms down with no severe indications.

Secondary progressive MS SPMS

There are times it develops in RRMS patients. Features of SPMS worsen as time goes by. The symptoms may improve or decrease or not. With time, disease indicators get worse. Medicine alters the disorder and delays progress.

Progressive relapsing MS PRMS

It covers 5% of all types of MS and worsens over time. Varying improvement in increasing features is a frequent instance. There are no cases of indications disappearing.

Diagnosis of MS

There are various procedures for confirming the disorder;

• MRI to determine lesions in the CNS
• CSF analysis to determine the presence of immune bodies. Immune bodies state infections and swelling of the spine column.
• Evoked Potential Test. It measures the time it takes the brain to respond to stimuli.
• Blood tests rule out conditions with similar features to MS.

After detecting the disease, more diagnoses follow. The follow-ups determine the type of MS. These tests are crucial in assessing the progress of MS in the future.

The basis for confirming MS.

• Scars in more than one part of the CNS, in the brain, spine and optic nerves
• Confirmation that the damage to the CNS regions occurred at different months.
• Exclude diseases causing symptoms similar to those of MS.
• Symptoms that are occurring in various episodes for more than a day. They should separate by a month or more.
• CSF infections

Symptoms of MS

The symptoms of MS vary depending on the regions of the CNS with lesions.

Primary indicators include:

• Weak hands and legs: MS disrupts the nerves in the legs and arms. As a result, they feel weak due to wrong impulses. In extreme cases, failure of performance on one side of the body occurs.
• Numbness and tingling. If the signals are not sent to the limb nerves, you have no sensation. Tingling is the result of confusing signals.
• Visual disorders. MS destroys the optic nerves and results in blurred images. It causes double images, partial or total vision failure. Patients have red-green color blindness, and pain in the eyes may be present.
• Other symptoms include:
• Patients have a tingling sensation when shifting the head sideways. The feeling shifts down to the spine. Moving the head towards the chest activates the sense.
• Muscle spasms and cramps: Damaged nerves interfere with the muscles. This leads to improper contraction and relaxation of the muscles. The stiffness is the spasms, while persistent muscle spasms are muscle cramps. They occur in the legs.
• Dizziness and loss of balance:  These symptoms occur when lesions form in the part of the brain that controls balance.
• Sexual dysfunction:
• Sexual arousal is difficult when the nerves are not functioning well.
• Bladder and bowel problems.
• MS decreases memory capacity. This exhibits signs of forgetting and a lower ability to pay attention for a long period. Also, reduced ability to remain organized is common.
• Emotional changes. MS predisposes patients to anger and mood swings.

Other symptoms include:

• Partial or total deafness.
• Tremors
• Breathing problems.
• Interrupted speech.
• Difficult swallowing.

Risk factors of MS

• Origin: People of European ancestry are at high risk of developing MS. Their genetic makeup makes them vulnerable to MS. The location makes them vulnerable since Europe is a cold region.
• Gender: Women are more prone than men.
• Medical problems: They include viral infections and swelling of the optic nerve.
• Age. Every person between 20 and 40 years is at risk of Ms.
• Climate: MS is more common in regions with low temperatures. Low temperatures are common, far from the equator. The common parts are:
• The European continent,
• Canada,
• New Zealand,
• North America and Australia.
• History of immune system disorders in a family. These are families with Lupus, MS and other autoimmune diseases.
• Vitamin D deficiency. It impairs the proper functioning of the defense system.
• Nutrient B12 deficiency increases the risk of nerve disorders.
• Smoking: Smoking increases nerve damage and decreases brain function.

Treatment of MS

It is not curable. Medicines used in MS patients:

• Delays the progress of conditions
• Decreases attacks.
• Reduce Symptoms

Medications that treat symptoms improve life.

Drugs used include:

1. Beta-interferons. These include Avonex, Betaseron, Extavia and Rebif. They reduce the progress of the disease and nerve damage by 50-80%.

1. Copaxone (Glatiramer Acetate). Has a structure like myelin. It reduces seizures in RRMS patients.

1. Mitoxantrone (Novantrone). Reduces immune system cells' activity. The cells affect the protective fatty layer. The immune system cells causing attacks are T cells, B cells, and macrophages.

1. Natalizimub (Tysabin) is a once-a-month injection. It reduces seizures and disease progression.

1. Fingolimod (Gilenya). Is an oral medication that prevents the worsening of symptoms. Fingolimod reduces the disease's progress into late stages.

Medicines for symptoms

• Dalfampridine (Ampyra). Improves walking in patients of all types of MS. At intervals of 12 hours, patients take it two times daily. It is an oral medication, a tablet of 10 mg.
• Muscle relaxants to treat muscle cramps and spasms.
• Anti-stress drugs for depression.
• Ditropan / Detrol for bladder problems.
• Donepezil for cognitive symptoms.
• Medical bhang for pain, muscle spasms and insomnia.

There are other medications used in MS. They manage other conditions. They are immune-suppressing drugs. Not only that, but they reduce episodes and impairment to the nerves. These include:

· Azathioprine (Imuran)

· Methotrexate

· Cyclophosphamide

· Cladribine

· Mycophenolate mofetil (cell cept)

Alternative therapies

• Heat massages relieve pain.
• Acupuncture to improve symptoms of pain, fatigue, numbness, etc.
• Therapies
• Physical therapy. These are training exercises to ensure that your body is active.
• Special and swallowing therapy. This is a therapy for patients with speech and swallowing disorders.
• Plasma exchange in severe MS cases. Doctors exchange plasma in severe MS cases to discard antibodies.

MS is a persistent disease that affects the CNS. MS is not curable, but medications control the symptoms. They delay the progress of the disorder until the late stages. MS drugs lose their effectiveness over time. The disease becomes worse in some people. The diagnosis of MS combines two procedures or more. MS's treatment should begin after confirming the disorder in a patient.

References

Goldenberg, M., 2012. Multiple Sclerosis. 37th ed. pp.1-9.

WebMD. 2021. Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). [online] Available at: <https://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/ms-treatment> [Accessed 3 April 2021].

Winchesterhospital.org. 2021. Risk Factors for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) | Winchester Hospital. [online] Available at: <https://www.winchesterhospital.org/health-library/article?id=20388> [Accessed 3 April 2021].

Healthline. 2021. Early Signs of MS: 16 Early Warning Signs of Multiple Sclerosis. [online] Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/early-signs> [Accessed 3 April 2021].

Mayo Clinic. 2021. Multiple sclerosis - Symptoms and causes. [online] Available at: <https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/multiple-sclerosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350269> [Accessed 3 April 2021].