Medicare Nation

Welcome, Medicare Nation! It’s March, which is a huge month for awareness. Last week’s show highlighted colon cancer awareness, this week we are discussing MS awareness, and next week’s topic is chronic kidney disease.  What is MS? MS is multiple sclerosis, which is a disabling disease of the central nervous system. It occurs when there is a disruption of the electrical circuit between the brain and the rest of the body. Nerves have a myelin sheath that covers and protects them; when the sheath is damaged and the electrical impulses are disrupted, then multiple sclerosis is the diagnosis. What are signs and symptoms of MS? Fatigue that interferes with your ability to function Numbness/tingling in face and extremities Muscle weakness Dizziness/vertigo Pain, significant and chronic Vision problems How is MS diagnosed? It’s a difficult disorder to diagnose, and can be found using blood tests and MRI’s. Doctors can test the electrical impulses in the brain, and they also pay attention to family history. Medi