Just this week, actress Selma Blair appeared at The Oscars. Many fans of hers were shocked to see her using a cane. Even more people were dumbfounded when they heard her speak during interviews in the days afterward. Many wondered if she’d had a stroke or if she’d been in some accident that hadn’t heard about. It then came out that she’s been privately battling Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
In some of those interviews, you could see her struggling with to pick up a leg to walk, to lift her arms and to get words out. She acknowledged that she has learned from her doctors that these are all effects of an MS flare-up. She’s asked those who interviewed her to return in a year and suggested that they’ll see that she’d doing remarkably better then.
If you’ve been diagnosed with MS, then you’re likely well aware of the roller coaster of symptoms this autoimmune disease can throw at you. They can range from mild to severe. When they’re at their worst, they can affect your ability to live a normal home life and make it difficult for you to work.
These flare-ups or relapses that the actress is currently experiencing are caused by inflammation of her central nervous system. It causes messages to be transmitted to her nerves at a slower rate or to stop altogether.
Unlike other diseases, it’s unlikely for two patients in Missouri to experience the exact same symptoms. One individual in St. Louis may struggle with fatigue or have difficulty maintaining their balance whereas another in Chesterfield has impaired speech or vision.
Any exacerbation of MS symptoms that lasts for longer than 24 hours then returns 30 or more days later is defined as a flare-up. Once an MS patient relapses, it’s possible for them to experience chronic symptoms for as long as a few months to as little as several days.
What many individuals unfamiliar with MS fail to realize is that it’s a serious disease that can have serious effects on your ability to function. If you feel that your condition is affecting your ability to work, then you’ll want to have an attorney who is skilled and experienced in handling disability applications for multiple sclerosis representing you as you request benefits.
