Living With Motor Neurone Disease
Did you know… “Motor Neurons are special nerve cells in the central nervous system that control our muscles.” – NRS Healthcare
Motor Neurone Disease (MND) occurs when the ‘motor neurones’ in the brain stop functioning as they should. As ‘motor neurones’ are responsible for transmitting messages from the central nervous system to the brain, once these nerve cells are compromised by the disease, a deterioration of motor skills involving the muscles inevitably follows. This is particularly troubling as most bodily actions rely on muscles to perform, from breathing to walking.
One of the most visible side effects of MND is the weakening and loss of muscle mass over time. As the muscles are not able to respond to the signals as they should, they slowly become weaker, this process is known as muscle wastage.
Symptoms of Motor Neurone Disease
There are four main types of MND, each with slightly different symptoms:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is the most common form. It usually affects both upper and lower motor neurones and causes muscle wastage, muscle twitching and spasms, and difficulties in speaking and swallowing.
Progressive Bulbar Palsy (PBP) is quite rare and affects the facial muscles, throat and tongue causing an inability to swallow. The person affected will often have difficulties speaking and their face may begin to droop.
Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS) is a very rare form of MND, it typically affects the upper motor neurones and causes weakness in limbs but not necessarily muscle wastage. Someone with PLS will often have a longer life expectancy.
Progressive Muscular Atrophy (PMA) is another quite rare form which usually progresses slower than the others. Generally it causes weight loss, muscle wastage and twitching. Sometimes people start with this type of MND and then progress onto a different type.
For more information on symptoms of Motor Neurone Disease, see this very helpful factsheet from MND Scotland.
Support For Those With MND
Treatment for this disease is centred around managing the symptoms and ensuring that life is as comfortable as possible. There is currently no cure for the disease but research continues.
As the symptoms for MND can be mild in the early stages of the disease, families can often adapt to provide their own support. However, as the disease progresses and daily activities become more and more difficult, it can be quite overwhelming for families to provide adequate support. At Promedica24, we’re able to support you during this time by providing live-in care workers specialising in MND patient support.
The main benefit of our live-in care workers is ensuring that you can stay at home in familiar surroundings with your loved ones close by. It is the job of our care workers to ensure life remains as comfortable as possible, and each care plan is tailored to the individual case and regularly reviewed. Find out more here.
MND Resources
Here are some fantastic resources for families of Motor Neurone Disease patients:
If you would like to find out more or access our services, please visit promedica24.co.uk to use our online chat service. You can also get in touch with our team on 0800 086 8686 or by sending an email to care@promedica24.co.uk. If you’d like to assess your care and support needs rapidly online, we have a tool available for you to do this.