When it comes to living with a significant disease such as multiple sclerosis, many patients find that they have a number of important questions that they want to ask their doctor or healthcare provider. Particularly, people regularly want to know whether the progressive symptoms of multiple sclerosis will lead to death over time. In regards to the prognosis for multiple sclerosis, it's fair to say that there is both bad and good news to consider. First and foremost, the bad news is that there is no current cure for this disease, meaning that people who have it will have to live with the condition throughout their entire lives. However, in spite of this, it's also worth noting that there are some good news regarding life expectancy.
According to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, this particular illness is not regarded to be a fatal disease. Rather, patients with multiple sclerosis life expectancy questions usually find that their projected lifespan is the same as that for the general population.
Multiple Sclerosis Life Expectancy:
If you were to consider multiple sclerosis life expectancy directly, the prognosis for people who suffer from this disorder is often an encouraging factor. According to many studies, most of them often experience a normal lifespan, or a lifespan that is regarded as close to normal. In fact, many people with multiple sclerosis actually die from the various conditions that can plague people without this particular condition, such as heart disease and cancer.
In all but severe cases of the disease, which are quite rare, the prognosis for patients is relatively good. However, it can be worth noting that multiple sclerosis patients also need to work with issues that can otherwise have an impact on their overall quality of life. After all, the symptoms of multiple sclerosis can cause inconvenience, pain, and discomfort, even though many patients will never actually become severely disabled. Unfortunately, the suicide rates associated with people who have multiple sclerosis are typically higher than those in the general population.
Another thing to consider when evaluating multiple sclerosis life expectancy is how the disabilities that can result from the condition may have an impact on the lives of patients. For instance, according to statistics, approximately two thirds of people diagnosed with the disorder are able to walk without the use of a wheelchair within two decades of their diagnosis.
Possible Complications:
As with many diseases, there are some guidelines that can change the prognosis of a patient with multiple sclerosis. For instance, patients typically fare better if they suffer from fewer symptom attacks within the first few years of their diagnosis, and have a longer amount of time between attacks. What's more, it's a good sign if a patient receives neurological scans that appear to be almost normal within the first five years of the diagnosis.
While most people with multiple sclerosis experience a normal life expectancy, it can be difficult for doctors to determine whether the condition of a patient will improve or worsen with time, because the disease can vary widely from one person to the next, from symptoms to the ability to manage the problem.