Columns

April 7, 2020April 1, 2020

How to Maximize Productivity While Working from Home

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I’m grateful that I’ve worked from home for a long time. I imagine that, for many people, working from home for the first time is a difficult adjustment. How ... Read more

April 6, 2020April 6, 2020

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Exercise, Diet, and Myelin

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Regular Exercise ‘Strongly Recommended’ to Ease Fatigue in MS This may seem like a no-brainer. But once upon a time, neurologists told people with MS to avoid exercise. They ... Read more

April 3, 2020April 7, 2020

How to Make Working from Home Work for You

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I just finished my third week of working from home due to the coronavirus, and I’ve learned a few things about what it takes to be successful outside of ... Read more

April 3, 2020March 31, 2020

In Training for Solitary Confinement

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

I’ve just been sentenced to at least 18 months in solitary without time off even for good behavior! Pretty harsh. Luckily, I’m match fit. I’ve already previously done nearly ... Read more

April 3, 2020April 1, 2020

Neurologists Turn to Telemedicine During Coronavirus Sheltering

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Dr. Aaron Boster assessed the gait of his multiple sclerosis patient, who walked forward and back. Earlier, he had checked the patient’s seventh cranial nerve by having him close ... Read more

April 2, 2020March 30, 2020

That Time When MS Left Me at a Loss for Words

Columns, MS in Moderation – a Column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: This week’s column is inspired by the forum topic “7 Strange and Unusual Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis” from Nov. 8, 2019. Post your concerns, questions, or experiences ... Read more

April 2, 2020March 31, 2020

I’m Choosing to Let My Spirit Shine During the COVID-19 Crisis

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

We are living in unprecedented times. Years from now, references will be made to COVID-19. Numbers of those afflicted and those we lost will live on in print. Future ... Read more

March 31, 2020March 30, 2020

Calm, Care, and Prayer Will Help During the Coronavirus Crisis

Columns, Patiently Awakened - A Column by Teresa Wright-Johnson

No one needs to be reminded of the pandemic we’re in the midst of. We live it every day. The novel coronavirus has attacked with a vengeance, proving that ... Read more

March 31, 2020March 27, 2020

How to Cope and Thrive During a Challenging Time

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Living through this unique time is nothing like I’ve ever experienced before.  There’s so much doom and gloom around lately. I don’t know about you, but the constant government ... Read more

March 27, 2020March 25, 2020

Do They Know It’s Not Christmas?

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

Quarantine sure feels like Christmas. The shops are stripped bare. The streets are empty. Family homes are stuffed with everyone returning home. In our case, my wife rescued my ... Read more

March 27, 2020March 25, 2020

Online Coronavirus Screening May Not Be Ready for Prime Time

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

A number of websites are currently offering online coronavirus screening. These aren’t a full-scale test. The online sites read symptoms that you enter and then use artificial intelligence to ... Read more

March 26, 2020March 24, 2020

Need to Know: MS and the Battlefield of the Immune System

Columns, MS in Moderation – a Column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s ... Read more

March 26, 2020March 24, 2020

A Life Unscripted: Choosing Positivity During a Pandemic

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

Life is unscripted. It is messy and uncertain, with change being the only constant. Much like living with multiple sclerosis, adapting to change is directly correlated to our ability ... Read more

March 24, 2020March 23, 2020

Tips for Traveling the World from the Comfort of a Couch

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Following my previous column titled, “5 Free Activities You Can Do at Home During COVID-19 Hibernation,” I thought it would be fun to share some more free things you ... Read more

March 23, 2020March 23, 2020

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Coronavirus and DMTs, Gilenya and Pediatric MS, Ponesimod for RRMS, Cannabis for Spasticity

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

I’m starting this week by linking to our Coronavirus COVID-19 Information section on the Multiple Sclerosis News Today Forums. My fellow moderator, John Connor, and I have been posting ... Read more

March 20, 2020March 19, 2020

Divide and Conquer: Bravery in the Face of the Coronavirus

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but there’s this coronavirus thing going around. And it is disrupting everything from concerts and conferences to schools and my kids’ ... Read more

March 20, 2020March 19, 2020

Let’s All Take a Deep Breath

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

Take a deep breath, and I don’t mean the kind promoted by fake memes infecting the web to “prove” that you don’t have COVID-19! My deep-breath moment was in ... Read more

March 20, 2020March 19, 2020

Have You Tested Positive for Coronavirus with MS?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

What happens if you have MS and you’ve tested positive for COVID-19? How will the disease affect your disease-modifying therapies and your MS? Dr. Barry Singer, (@drbarrysinger), a neurologist ... Read more

March 19, 2020March 18, 2020

MS Awareness Month: How to Fly the Orange Flag in March

Columns, MS in Moderation – a Column by Tamara Sellman

With March being Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, I got to thinking: What have I done — or what do I do — to raise MS awareness? I’ll count some ... Read more

March 19, 2020March 18, 2020

An Outlier with MS, Coronavirus Nears as I Self-isolate

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

“It’s the end of the world as we know it.” — R.E.M. Welcome to the world of COVID-19. Coronaviruses aren’t new: severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East ... Read more

March 18, 2020March 16, 2020

MS, Coronavirus, and My Crazy Immune System

Columns, MSunderstood Millennial - a Column by Stephanie Towler

When I received my multiple sclerosis diagnosis, I was told that my immune system is a little weaker than most people’s and I am more susceptible to getting sick. ... Read more

March 17, 2020March 16, 2020

5 Free Activities You Can Do at Home During COVID-19 Hibernation

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I don’t watch or listen to the news, but luckily, fellow Multiple Sclerosis News Today columnist Ed Tobias does. I’ve found that avoiding the news has helped to improve ... Read more

March 16, 2020March 16, 2020

What New Hell Is This?

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

There’s nothing like a good, old-fashioned bacteriological pincer attack to take your mind off impending death. I’m not exaggerating about the impending bit. A friend/colleague was supposed to fly ... Read more

March 16, 2020March 16, 2020

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Coronavirus Updates, MD1003 Trial Fails to Meet Goals, Sativex and Spasticity Relief, NurOwn Trial Site Announced

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

The past week was filled with news about the new coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease that it causes. This story continues to evolve, so it makes no sense to ... Read more

March 13, 2020March 13, 2020

Guidelines for DMT Use as COVID-19 Spreads

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

People with multiple sclerosis have unique concerns about the new coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease that it causes. Many of us use disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that suppress our immune ... Read more

March 12, 2020March 11, 2020

Need to Know: Are Poor Sleep Quality and MS Connected?

Columns, MS in Moderation – a Column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s question ... Read more

March 10, 2020March 6, 2020

Many MS Symptoms Are Invisible: We Need to Share Our Stories

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Like many people with multiple sclerosis, my symptoms are mostly invisible. Many days, fatigue overwhelms me and I have pain somewhere. I tingle all over. I have weird sensory ... Read more

March 9, 2020March 11, 2020

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Coronavirus FAQs, Diet, Ozanimod Study, High-dose Vitamin D

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

FAQs About Coronavirus and MS As the coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease spreads around the world, people with multiple sclerosis are asking questions specifically related to our illness ... Read more

March 6, 2020March 5, 2020

I Must Confess that I Love Needles

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

As someone with 16 years of MS experience, I’ve grown to hate needles. I only have to give myself three shots a week now instead of seven, but I ... Read more

March 6, 2020March 4, 2020

You Know Things Are Bad When the Banks Tell You to Wear a Mask

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

I know the new strain of coronavirus is bad, but in the face of impending doom, I’m likely to find humor. Anyone who has had more aggressive disease-modifying therapies ... Read more

March 6, 2020March 4, 2020

FDA Approval of Investigational DMT Ozanimod May Be Weeks Away

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

By the end of this month, another disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for multiple sclerosis may be available in the U.S. Ozanimod is an investigational daily pill for the treatment of ... Read more

March 5, 2020March 4, 2020

Need to Know: What Are Evoked Potential Tests?

Columns, MS in Moderation – a Column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s ... Read more

March 3, 2020March 2, 2020

Using Social Media to Challenge Perceptions About Disability

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I recently interviewed filmmaker Celestine Fraser on my podcast. Fraser produced a documentary about chronic illness called “ill, actually.” We touched on some interesting topics, including how people with chronic ... Read more

March 2, 2020March 2, 2020

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Remyelination Research in Animal Models, Depression and Neurological Function, Ofatumumab Approval Moves Closer

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

In this column, I’ll be highlighting some of the research presented at this year’s Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum, held last week in ... Read more

February 28, 2020February 26, 2020

The World Turned Upside Down

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

Being disabled constricts what my body does — but I’m still me. For a long time, I was trapped as I could no longer self-propel my self-propelled wheelchair. Then ... Read more

February 28, 2020February 26, 2020

MS Is a Rare Disease? I Think Not

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Feb. 29 is Rare Disease Day. It’s a day on which those in the rare disease community attempt to raise awareness about their diseases. I don’t think MS should ... Read more

February 27, 2020February 25, 2020

Need to Know: Does MS Cause Mood Swings?

Columns, MS in Moderation – a Column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forums. This week’s ... Read more

February 27, 2020February 25, 2020

I Am Beautifully Rare Despite SPMS

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

I have secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and I am rare. In honor of Rare Disease Day on Feb. 29, I honor myself. I honor you and anyone else with ... Read more

February 25, 2020February 24, 2020

Reflecting on What Makes Me Rare

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness isn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. It comes with a new medical language to learn, a plethora of lengthy appointments, an ... Read more

February 24, 2020February 24, 2020

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: New Baclofen Pump, Bone Marrow Transplant Study, Bladder Problems and Life Quality, Urinary Diversion Surgery

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Flowonix’s Prometra II Pump System Receives FDA Approval for Use with Intrathecal Baclofen This new pump could be a major step forward for people with multiple sclerosis who use ... Read more