March is Multiple Sclerosis Education & Awareness Month and Brevard Medical Equipment wants everyone to be more aware of this disease.

How common is Multiple Sclerosis? According to recent numbers, over 200 people in the United States are diagnosed with MS every week.  Nationwide there are 350,000 to 500,000 people who have been diagnosed with MS. That is a lot of people, but when you are the person diagnosed or someone who loves them, it’s easy to feel alone.

While there are many common symptoms that go with Multiple Sclerosis, they vary person-to-person and then to a great degree. It’s wise to note that the person who is diagnosed may react very differently to the news than another person, and will need time to really get their head around the situation. The National MS Society knows that no two people are alike and the responses you receive from them may vary greatly.

What do you do if you are diagnosed and when do you tell people? The National MS Society offers these recommendations and only when you are ready:

•          Start with family members – Telling them about your MS is the best way to rally the support you need to begin the coping process. Allow them their fears and feelings too.

•          Tell your friends – Even in this social media and texting society, this is the kind of news that is best told in person or over the phone to allow for questions and feelings. Avoid posting it for the world to see and tell your friends and family not to post it either.

•          Tell your employer- they will probably have noticed something is wrong, but telling them will clear up confusion. The people you work with may have seen you stumble, slur words or seem to be tired at work and may have drawn their own conclusions. Having MS may affect your job due to physical limitations. Hopefully, your company has a human relations associate who can help you. Learn what you can about your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how that can help you.

You can also tell and trust the home medical professionals at Brevard Medical Equipment Supplies. Our staff is here to help you find the equipment you may need including lift chairs, walkers and wheelchairs.

March is National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month and your friends at Brevard Medical Supplywant you to be aware of this little-understood disease and know that we are here to help.

MS is a disease affecting the central nervous system that causes mobility loss, numbness, blurred vision, memory issues and other symptoms.

What is MS? Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system (the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord). It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder.

Who can be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis:

MS can strike both men and women but is more common in women

MS appears more frequently in Caucasians than in Hispanics or African Americans

MS is relatively rare among Asians and certain other ethnic groups

MS is most commonly diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 20 and 50

There are currently 350,000 to 500,000 people in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with MS and over 2.5 million people are living with the disease worldwide.

If you have been recently diagnosed with MS, your friends and family are going to find out and will want to know. Here are some suggestions about sharing your news from the National MS Society:

• Shock and distress may make it difficult for some people to respond, so be prepared to give them time to deal with the news.

• You may need to provide comfort and reassurance at just the time that you are in need of comfort and reassurance yourself.

• When people don’t know what to say, they may say nothing at all — so be careful not to misinterpret silence as not caring.

• Most people will take their cue from you — so be ready to let them know whether you want to talk about your MS, if you’re willing to answer questions, and if you need something from them.

If you need a wheelchair, cane, walker or any other home medical equipment, Brevard Medical Supply carries many products in our online catalog to help you. We encourage you to stop in if you are in the area and let us assist you in person.

Please visit the www.nationalmssociety.org for more information on the disease.

Sources: The National MS Society