People living with MS have a variety of needs and concerns, including:
- Management of neurological symptoms of the disease, such as weakness, tremor, loss of vision, cognitive changes, sexual problems, and others
- Support for related emotional and psychological issues
- Rehabilitation interventions to enhance mobility, independence, and quality of live
- Employment issues such as disclosure, job accommodations, and disability insurance
- Education about the disease process for people with MS and their families
- Reproductive issues and parenting
- Caregiver issues
- Life planning and long-term care options
- Wellness strategies
While some people with MS have access to comprehensive care teams made up of health professionals from a variety of disciplines who address the whole spectrum of care, others utilize individual practitioners in their community. The health professions who are likely to be involved in a person’s care at some point over the course of the disease include:
- Neurologist – a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the nervous system.
- Neuropsychologist – a psychologist with specialized training in the evaluation of cognitive functions. Neuropsychologists use a battery of standardized tests to assess specific cognitive functions and identify areas of cognitive impairment. They also provide remediation for individuals with MS-related cognitive impairment.
- Nurse – a key member of the comprehensive patient care team who often acts in a management role. The nurse provides a link for physicians and other health care professionals with persons with MS, their families and the community.
- Occupational therapist – a rehabilitation specialist who "assesses" functioning in activities of everyday living, including dressing, bathing, grooming, meal preparation, writing and driving which are essential for daily living.
- Orthotist – a person skilled in making mechanical appliances (orthotics) such as leg braces or splints that help to support limb function.
- Physiatrist – a physician who specializes in the rehabilitation of physical impairments.
- Physical therapist – a rehabilitation specialist who is trained to evaluate and improve movement and function of the body, with particular attention to physical mobility, strength, balance, posture, fatigue and pain.
- Speech/language pathologist – a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of speech and swallowing disorders. A person with MS may be referred to a speech/language pathologist with help with either or both of these disorders. Because of their expertise with speech and language difficulties, speech/language pathologists may also provide cognitive remediation for individuals with cognitive impairment.