“You are not alone on your MS journey. It is really important that you talk to your MS Team who can offer practical advice and support.” These are the thoughts of South Eastern Trust Consultant Neurologist, Dr Orla Gray who is highlighting this year’s theme “Breaking the Silence” marking Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week which is aimed at breaking the stigma around certain symptoms of MS.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a condition that causes patches of inflammation within the central nervous system. It can sometimes cause episodes or ‘relapses’ when a person has new symptoms or a recurrence of previous symptoms and can sometimes cause mobility issues. It can also cause symptoms on an everyday basis such as fatigue, bladder/bowel issues, sexual dysfunction, mood, cognitive issues, pain or spasms & spasticity.
Living with MS symptoms presents a range of challenges, many individuals diagnosed with MS struggle with the burden of silence due to the stigma surrounding some of the symptoms. Whether it’s bladder and bowel issues, cognitive difficulties, or sexual dysfunction, individuals with MS often face discomfort and isolation due to the perceived taboo surrounding these topics.
“Breaking the Silence” is aimed at encouraging patients to have conversations around these symptoms that are often considered embarrassing or difficult to discuss.
Dr Orla Gray emphasised the importance of having the conversation and said, “Everyone’s MS is different. What one person finds challenging, another person may not consider an issue, so this is very personal. Some people are challenged with fatigue in MS, while others will have problems with their bladder, bowel or sexual function.
“Nobody should be embarrassed by these symptoms. Patients should not feel alone, many people have these issues. It is important to talk to your MS Team, there may be simple resolutions to symptoms that we can suggest that can help on a practical level. It is also important to talk to family and friends so they can understand how important these symptoms are and how they are affecting your quality of life.
“A range of information and support is available to help patients. The MS Team, MS Nurse and MS Consultant are all a very useful area of support. Within Northern Ireland the MS Society is a very useful source of information locally and on a UK-wide basis, the MS Trust also provides helpful information.”
Information on MS Society & MS Trust can be found at https://www.mssociety.org.uk/contact-us/northern-ireland & https://mstrust.org.uk/