A patient diagnosed with multiple sclerosis is quickly thrust into a new world of medical specialists, treatment regimes and the chances of serious side effects. But even with all of these complicated issues, one of the more difficult aspects of this disease is the way it affects your everyday routine and turns even the simplest of tasks into huge projects.
This frustration occurs because multiple sclerosis is a chronic, degenerative nerve disorder that may affect your entire body. It can cause various symptoms, but weakness, fatigue, vision problems and muscle spasticity or stiffness tend to most commonly get in the way of household chores, getting dressed and bathing.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep these simple tasks nothing more than a routine part of your day. Assistive devices or modifications made to your home can ease the burden of living with multiple sclerosis. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has various suggestions to help you maintain an active life:
Maintaining Mobility
Stiffness and weakness in the legs can make it difficult to move around, even from one room to the other. So, leg braces, canes and walkers can help, not to mention lower the risk of painful falls.
For longer trips, wheelchairs and electric scooters are good options. And there is no reason why you cannot continue to drive unless your doctor thinks it is unsafe. There are electric lifts available to make getting in and out of your car easier, and there are hand controls that can be added to almost any car if your feet are too weak to use the gas and brake pedals.
Bathing and Grooming
Showers and bathtubs represent particularly dangerous places for people with multiple sclerosis. But grab bars placed inside the tub or on the walls of the shower can make it easier to get in and out. Also, bath benches are available to allow you to sit upright while bathing or showering.
Narrow-handled hairbrushes, combs and toothbrushes can be difficult to hold, so either look for ones with large, chunky handles or wrap a piece of foam tubing around the handles to help you grip them.
Health
Getting Dressed
Velcro and elastic can be the easiest options for people with multiple sclerosis, but zippers can be made easier to grip by hooking a small key ring to the zipper pull. Buttons can be difficult to handle alone, but buttonhooks can help. This tool consists of a wooden handle attached to a small loop that slips through the buttonhole, around the button and pulls it through.
Bending over to put on your shoes may also be time consuming, so opt for backless shoes or versions with no laces. Long shoehorns are also useful.
Cooking and Household Chores
Limits in hand and arm strength can make handling kitchen tools difficult, so opt for electric versions when possible. Electric can openers, for example, can help you skip the need to use a manual can opener. Rocker knives, as opposed to straight version, also take some strain off of the wrist. A tray or table on wheels can help you move plates and heavy appliances from one place to another.
Long-handled brooms, dusters and sponges will also make cleaning up easier. There are also "reachers," available to help you get objects off of high shelves or from the floor.
