Multiple Sclerosis
Around 85,000 people in the UK have Multiple Sclerosis (MS), making it the most common disabling neurological condition affecting adults today.
MS occurs as a result of damage to myelin, a protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres of the central nervous system. This damage in turn interferes with messages between the brain and other parts of the body causing problems in a few, some or all of the following areas: visual, motor, sensory, coordination and balance, bowel, bladder and sexual, cognitive and others.
For some people MS is characterised by periods of relapse and remission while for others it has a progressive pattern, which can make life unpredictable, for sufferers and carers alike.
There are MS organisations with departments dedicated to giving carers the tools needed to give the best possible care, as well as ideas on how to get respite care, the short-term care service that gives carers a break .
You’ll find many of those organisations by clicking on the links on the right to MS organisations. The MS Society also has specific information and resources for carers. You can even meet other carers for people with MS – who are usually more than happy to share their knowledge and experience with you – by posting messages on our discussion boards or visiting our live online chat room.