Speech / swallowing problems

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bromley
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Joined: Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:00 pm

Speech / swallowing problems

Post by bromley »

As if the list of other possible symptoms weren't bad enough! Here is an expert Q&A facilitated by the UK MS Society. Unfortunately, with everything MS, effective ways to treat the symptoms are thin on the ground. Advice for those with swallowing problems is either to drink milkshakes or to avoid eating in restaurants!

http://www.mssociety.org.uk/application ... _id=261243
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carolew
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Location: Ottawa, Ont. Canada

Post by carolew »

My trick is to knod when I think the food will go the wrong way and make me choke. It is a technique used in rehabilitation programs. You just say 'yes' with your head when you swallow and the food will go down more easily.
Take care , Carole
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bromley
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Post by bromley »

Carolew,

Thanks, I haven't experienced these problems. But I do question the MS Society websites who say that each person's symptoms are different. Mobility problems seem to be fairly commonplace and I read somewhere that 90% of MS patients who have had MS for 10 years experience bladder problems. I once read that cognitive problems were rare, but now see that 50-65% of patients will experience such problems. Depression also seems to be fairly common. It's like the claim that MS patients have a near normal lifespan. Yet at ECTRIMS one piece of research suggested that an MS patient, on average, had eight years less than the average person. It's pretty unnerving to think what the future holds in terms of symptoms as each of them could be considered a serious health problem in their own right.

Ian
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