Neurorehabilitation in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a progressive long-term neurological condition that directly affects the lives of individuals with the condition, their family, and friends. The multiplicity of symptoms that may arise as a result of damage to the central nervous system means that the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial consequences are often wide-ranging, variable, and complex. Because the disease progresses at differing rates over several decades, the needs of the individual change over time, sometimes quite suddenly and unexpectedly. Effective management therefore requires taking a long-term and proactive multidisciplinary rehabilitation approach, which begins from the point of diagnosis and evolves as the disease progresses. Central to this educational process is the development of a life-long working partnership with the patients and their family to ensure interventions remain relevant to changing needs and circumstances throughout their lifetime. © 2008 Thomas Land Publishers, Inc.