Mandy Crest
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Mandy wrote for HealthCentral as patient expert for Multiple Sclerosis.
Latest by Mandy Crest
Relationships and Chronic Conditions
Living with a condition can place a big strain on a relationship. Here are tips for keeping it happy.
The "MS Hug" Demystified
Suddenly you feel an intense tightening around your chest, along with pain and a burning sensation. You clutch your chest, awash in fear. If you have never had this experience before, you wonder… is this a heart attack… a panic attack… an asthma atta...
The Montel/Oprah M.S. Misfire
I admit it – I don’t watch Oprah. But so many people told me about Montel Williams’ March 17 appearance on her show that I had to get my hands on a copy. I heard it was an extremely powerful piece about multiple sclerosis. Immediately, I was startled ...
Money Matters when you have Multiple Sclerosis
I was raised on the premise that money matters should not be discussed in a public forum. It was best to keep such things close to home. Multiple Sclerosis and money, unfortunately, go hand in hand, and it’s difficult to have meaningful conversation ...
Diagnosing MS: The EMG Test
If your doctor suspects that you have multiple sclerosis, but you haven’t yet been diagnosed, chances are you’ll be taking an EMG test. EMG stands for electromyogram. The purpose of the EMG is to assess the health of muscles by measuring their respon...
You Have MS, now what are you going to do about it?
“You have multiple sclerosis.” You’ve heard those words and now it’s time to decide what you’re going to do about it. There is no obvious right or wrong that applies to all MS patients. It’s not going to be that easy. In my last post, Early Intervent...
Mountain Climbing with Multiple Sclerosis
Get out your boots and strap on a harness… we’re going mountain climbing Living with multiple sclerosis is much like climbing a mountain. So says Wendy Broker, the mountain climber who happens to have MS. Still, she has already climbed to the tallest ...
Cognitive Function Hot Button
Physical manifestations of multiple sclerosis are one thing. But to feel that sharpness… that edge you once had… slowly slipping away, is quite another. When other symptoms of MS strike, many of us turn to intellectual and creative pursuits to fill t...
Precursor to MS... Too Much Information?
What if doctors discovered that you have a precursor to multiple sclerosis… would you want to be told? If so, what would you do with this information? A recent study indicates that MRI of the brain may be able to serve as a warning of sign of MS yet ...
The Multiple Sclerosis/Migraine Connection
A recently published report (Dr. Mario Zappia, University of Catania) states that "in an analysis adjusting for age and sex, researchers observed a significant association between MS and headache. The likelihood of headache was more than twofold ...