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Q&A 87: worsening hand function in MS
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Q&A 87: worsening hand function in MS

The following explains how MS affects hand function, the spectrum of MS-related symptoms, the complexities of assessing hand function, and what is required for hand rehabilitation.

Case

I'm a 55-year-old male who was diagnosed in 2012. I eventually got alemtuzumab in 2017, which seems to have successfully arrested relapses, but smouldering means a variety of things are getting worse.

One I'm particularly concerned about is the waning sensation in my hands, which is making handwriting, typing, and other fine motor tasks more challenging over time. I've never taken a 9-hole peg test, but I shudder at the thought of how long it would take me.

So what I wanted to find out is whether there are existing OT/physio therapies that would be a good idea to practise to stem my declining sensation?

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Answers

Question: So, what I wanted to find out is whether there are existing OT/physio therapies that would be a good idea to practise to stem my declining sensation?

I could have written a brief response and recommended a straightforward self-assessment and self-administered home rehabilitation programme. But this would not have addressed the value and complexity of rehabilitation. I speak from personal experience….

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