An Understanding of Multiple Sclerosis
Published July 9, 2008Multiple Sclerosis, or MS as it is commonly referred to, affects more than one million people worldwide and approximately 300,000 in the United States. It is a potentially debilitating disease that impacts the central nervous system. Symptoms often appear between the ages of 20 and 40, and women are twice as likely to be affected as men. It is considered by many to be an autoimmune disease.
Risk factors may involve heredity and geographic and environmental factors. MS is more common in individuals of Northern European descent, and it is suspected to be triggered by several viruses and bacteria. For unsubstantiated reasons, MS is more common in countries with temperate climates including Europe, northern United States, southern Canada and southeastern Australia.
Symptoms may include tremor, unsteady gait, fatigue, numbness or weakness in one or more limbs, vision issues like double or blurred vision, dizziness and/or electric-shock sensations brought about with certain head movements. Treatment may vary based on the level of the disease. Beta Interferons, which are genetically made copies of proteins that occur naturally in the body, may be used to address issues like fatigue, muscle spasms, inflammation of nerve tissues and other symptoms, but they may cause side effects.
There are some treatments in addition to medications that may be helpful. They include physical and occupational therapy, plasma exchange which may help to reduce the activity of the destructive factors in the immune system, rest, exercise, a well-balanced diet, and avoidance of extreme heat which may cause severe muscle weakness.
Helping an individual with MS can be physically and mentally exhausting. In dealing with these circumstances, in-home companion care can be of major assistance.
Gerri Tyber, Operations Manager
Barton Home Care
Potential Parkinson’s Disease Treatment
Published May 30, 2008According to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, about 1.5 million Americans suffer with Parkinson’s. It is a chronic and progressive neurological disorder. Most patients affected with it are over 50, and it impacts slightly more men than women and more whites than blacks.
Nerve cells in a normal brain produce the chemical dopamine. Dopamine transmits signals to the brain that produce the smooth movement of muscles. Most people with Parkinson’s have damaged or dead dopamine-producing cells. Nerve cells are caused to fire wildly, which leaves patients unable to control their movements.
One of the primary drugs used in treatment is levodopa. It is often used in conjunction with carbidopa. Though not perfect, this combination of drugs can be very effective. In 1998, the FDA approved a brain “pacemaker” to help control tremors. A surgical option is a brain operation that has shown itself to be helpful for some Parkinson’s patients. It is called pallidotomy. A tiny electric probe is used to destroy a portion of the globus pallidus, which experts think is overactive in people with Parkinson’s. Studies have shown that this surgery’s effects are often temporary—lasting about two years.
Another brain surgery that offers some hope for treatment involves surgically implanting electrodes to stimulate the part of the brain that is related to impulsivity. When successful, people with the disease are able to reduce their medication intake by more than 60%. Exact placement of the electrodes is vital. A few millimeters can be the difference between success and failure.
An additional avenue of exploration involves implanting specialized cells, not to be confused with stem cells, found in the human eye into areas of the brain that have suffered damage because of Parkinson’s. This treatment is called Spheramine and in its early trials has shown improvement in symptoms with only one significant side effect—a headache.
Click on this link for more information on Parkinson’s Disease…Senior Health Care for the Denver Colorado Metro Area.
Gerri Tyber, Operations Manager
Barton Home Care
Home Hospice Care
Published May 6, 2008Hospice, whose origination dates back centuries, is providing compassionate and humane care for individuals in the final throes of incurable diseases. It used to imply a place of rest or shelter (hospitality) for tired and sick travelers who had embarked on long journeys. Now it is more of a philosophy of care. It is defined by services and care provided in addition to the setting in which they are provided—your home or a selected hospice facility.
There are many options to consider before making a decision that will work best for your family. If home hospice care is chosen, someone will need to be available on a 24-hour basis. Obviously, this is an exhausting scenario. Relatives and close friends may supply some needed respite, but often additional help is needed to handle around-the-clock needs or possible crises. Home hospice generally costs less than hospital-based or long-term care facilities. Families often opt to keep their family member in a familiar setting. Often they seek help from in-home companion care companies like Barton Home Care. If you are faced with such a selection, you will find there are many considerations to be made before choosing home health care to offer assistance.
Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurance plans, HMO’s and the Department of Veterans Affairs will often pay for hospice care. Some services are provided at no charge to patients who are unable to pay for them. Medicare hospice benefits are available when a doctor and the hospice medical director, who is also a physician, determine that a patient has less than six months to live.
Gerri Tyber, Operations Manager
Barton Home Care
