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While there is no cure for multiple sclerosis,
advancing treatment options continue to enhance
the quality of life for people living with the
disease — treatments that are available through
Kadlec Neuroscience Center.
“Having these
important treatments
available here is
wonderful for patients.”
— Hui-Juan Zhang, MD, PhD
Living
clumsiness, weakness of a leg or hand, visual disturbances,
fatigue, spasticity, gait disturbances, bladder and bowel
control, vertigo and mild emotional disturbances.
“The disease mainly affects young people. If a patient doesn’t
get treatment early, it does have an enormous impact on the
patient, family and eventually the quality of life,” she said.
Improved treatments available in the Tri-Cities
Although the disease is not curable, effective strategies are
now available to modify its course and manage its symptoms,
said Dr. Zhang.
“We now have five injectable medications, two intravenous
infusion medicines and the newest, an oral medication. They
help make the disease and its symptoms manageable,” she said.
But not all of the options are available everywhere.
Dr. Zhang is the only neurologist in the area providing
the infusion treatment, neurotoxins for the symptoms
such as spasticity, and the observation required in the first
administration of the oral medicine.
“Having these important treatments available here is
wonderful for patients,” she said. “The infusion treatment is
given every four weeks, so having it available in the Tri-Cities
prevents patients from having to drive to Seattle once a
month. It saves time, travel and money for patients and
helps a physician closely monitor the care,” she said.
She also works in cooperation with other physicians
caring for patients in the region.
“The outcome for patients with MS has greatly improved
and there continues to be a great deal of research, so the future
looks even better,” she said.
For more on MS, see
Pacesetter
online.
To reach Kadlec Neuroscience Center
Neurology, call
(509) 942-3182
.
MS
For resources and assistance, the Kadlec Neurological
Resource Center can help. There is also a monthly
multiple sclerosis support group on the first Tuesday of
each month. For information, call
(509) 943-8455
.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) is a chronic neurological
disease. It is an unpredictable condition that can be relatively
benign, disabling or devastating. Some individuals with MS
may be mildly affected while others may lose their ability to
see clearly, write, speak or walk when communication between
the brain and other parts of the body becomes disrupted.
It is not an obscure disease — it affects about 2 million
people worldwide — yet it is still far from being understood.
Experts have yet to discover the cause of this disease, let alone
a cure.
However, advances in the treatment of MS and its symptoms
have changed the course of the disease for many people.
“It wasn’t too many years ago that with a diagnosis of
multiple sclerosis, the doctor would have few options other
than sending the patient home,” said Kadlec Neuroscience
Center neurologist Hui-Juan Zhang, MD, PhD. “Today, it is
different. The outlook for a patient with MS is a lot better.”
The challenge of diagnosis
MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease that affects the
central nervous system, which consists of the brain, spinal cord
and optic nerves. In MS, the body’s immune system attacks
myelin, a substance that protects nerves.
“It impacts each patient differently and is difficult to
diagnose,” said Dr. Zhang, who specializes in the treatment
of multiple sclerosis and did fellowship training in MS and
neuroimmunology. “There is no definitive test, which can make
it frustrating for patients, and for physicians. There are many
other diseases that mimic MS, so an accurate diagnosis is
important.”
The most common symptoms are sensory in nature. They
are wide-ranging and include peculiar nerve sensations such as
tingling or a “pins-and-needles” feeling
over part of the body, numbness,
with
www.kadlec.org
The age at the
onset of MS peaks between
20 and 30 years. The disease
rarely occurs prior to 10 or
after 60 years of age. Females
are affected more frequently
than males.