MS in the Media - 5 July 2019
22 June - 5 July 2019
These are links to news stories about multiple sclerosis from the last fortnight that may be of interest to people affected by MS in the UK. The link beneath each item will take you to the original story.
Please note that the MS Trust did not write the original items and does not endorse their content nor any claims made in them.
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Cancer risk increased in MS
People with MS have a higher risk of some cancers according to Norwegian research. Overall the risk of cancer was 12-14% higher than the general population, but the risks of respiratory, central nervous system and urinary cancers were all more than 50% higher. Siblings of people with MS had a higher risk of blood cancers.
Source: National MS Society (USA)
Source: News Medical
MS Trust link: Co-morbidity
Anaesthesia and surgery don't affect relapse risk
Having an anaesthetic or undergoing surgery didn't increase the risk of an MS relapse in the subsequent 90 days according to a US study.
Source: Newswise
MS Trust link: Anaesthesia and surgery
Poor diet linked to depression
People who maintain a healthy diet experience lower levels of depression 240 according to new data from the Australian MS Longitudinal Study (AMSLS). Overall, only 3% met all five healthy lifestyle factors (nutrition, physical activity, body weight, smoking and alcohol consumption).
Source: MS Research Australia
MS Trust link: Lifestyle choices
Diet and exercise help fatigue
A vegetable rich, non dairy diet combined with exercise, stress reduction and neuromuscular electrical stimulation reduced fatigue in progressive MS in a small US study. The role of LDL cholesterol reduction may be important. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation isn't explained, but involves exercising whilst receiving small electrical charges that cause muscles to contract.
Source: MS News Today
MS Trust link: Diet
Music helps walking speed
People were able to walk faster when doing so to music according to a small Belgian study
Source: National MS Society (USA)
MS Trust link: MS Research Update


My search for MS support while studying for a PhD
4 Mar 2021 - 00:00
Laura is studying a PhD in Cancer Genomics and was diagnosed with MS in September 2020 following multiple hospital admissions. Here, Laura talks about how this affected her mental health and what more could be done to support other students going through the same thing.


MS, my mental health and a university degree
4 Mar 2021 - 00:00
Scarlet talks about how she learnt to manage her MS and mental health alongside the stresses of completing a university degree.


Receiving an MS diagnosis during my gender transition
22 Feb 2021 - 00:00
Chris shares his experience of being diagnosed with MS at the same time as starting hormone treatment and a surgical gender transition.

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Social cognition worse in MS
People with progressive MS have difficulty perceiving thoughts and intentions but not emotions of others according to a small American study. Called social cognition, this was thought to be linked to reduced performance on memory and processing speed tests.
Source: MS News Today
Source: News Medical
MS Trust link: Thinking and memory problems