MS brings a daughter closer to her mother as they search for ways to stay healthy, despite the disease.

By Amy Meisner-Threet, MSW, with Florence Meisner, RN

Like many mothers and daughters, as each of us became more independent from each other over the years, it became harder for my mother and I to communicate with […]

By Ed Lash
Probably the most important reason for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to be exercising is that exercise tends to put the various body systems back into balance. And since MS seems to be a disease of an immune system out of balance, it seems that exercise should be of paramount importance. […]

By Ed Lash
A short time ago I read an article about two major medical associations encouraging doctors to prescribe normal medication for a disease, plus the medicine that aids more ills than any other: exercise.
In my book Multiple Sclerosis…A Patient’s View, I said pretty much the same about multiple sclerosis (MS): “I […]

A critical safety alert for people using Duragesic or Sandoz patches!!!
On Tuesday, February 12, 2008, patches containing the prescription drug fentanyl were voluntarily recalled because of a flaw that could cause patients or caregivers to overdose on the potent medication inside. Sold in the US under the brand name Duragesic by PriCara and generically […]

A rare spinal cord injury to an obscure bundle of nerves comes with a series of frightening and painful conditions. But to most witnesses, people with cauda equina syndrome don’t seem to have any disabilities at all.

by Your Friend Flicka
After years of working for a corporation, I felt I wanted to do something […]

Inspired by California facility, Push to Walk in New Jersey offers clients with SCI a chance for recovery on the East Coast.
By Anya Starykh

Jim Laughlin (right) gets some assistance on the Power Plate from trainer Eric Prol.
At 21, Darren Templeton of Kinnelon, New Jersey, has many accomplishments to boast of. A student […]

By Craig Kennedy
If Christopher Reeve were alive today, the first piece of advice he would have for us all would be to live for today. Despite all the work he did to find a cure for paralysis, Reeve lived in order to find a way to make each day better. He strived to improve […]

By Scott Chesney
Well, I said you can ask me anything and you certainly delivered…and I thank you! While I know that taking the time to pour your feelings or thoughts into an e-mail is somewhat time-consuming, I am hopeful that those of you that sent in your questions felt a nice release. Studies have […]

Readers responded to our request for information about living with this common secondary condition of spinal cord injury and disorders. Part two of a three part series on spasticity.

By Chris Pierson
In July, Action requested information from members about their experience with spasticity. This article summarizes the information we gleaned from about 15 respondents, representing […]

Women Without Limits, the Women’s Advisory Committee to United Spinal Association, constructed a questionnaire on the experience of women with SCI/D in accessing important healthcare and wellness resources. The survey was made available nationally to women members of United Spinal (USM) in the spring of 2006. In the fall of 2006 the survey was opened […]

By Rob Ingraham and Tom Scott
Caregivers 101
With about 44 million people in America acting as caregivers for relatives, spouses, or friends with disabilities––and the looming retirement of over 75 million “baby boomers”––the issue of obtaining and sustaining competent caregivers is rapidly becoming a major question for families across the country.
To provide a basic overview […]

A researcher explains why he is optimistic about medical research—and why he thinks you should be too.
By William Bauman, MD
Have you ever appreciated medical care you received? If so, you know that medicine can make the difference between a good outcome and a bad one, and in the most dramatic instance, between life […]

Part 1 of a 3-part series on understanding and coping with spasticity.

By Rob Ingraham
Spasticity, the sudden, involuntary muscle contractions characteristic of many people with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI), is a complex secondary condition that, paradoxically, is a debilitating, painful burden for some, but an unexpected advantage for negotiating activities of daily living […]

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and time to remember that even women with spinal cord injuries are at risk.
By EM Treston

I try to follow guidelines set up by the medical community so when I turned 40, it was time for a mammogram. The only time I saw a mammogram machine was on […]

An eleven-part educational series from the University of Alabama Birmingham is available free over the Internet.
By Phil Klebine, MA; James F. Roper, MD; Susan Camp, ARNP; Cheryl Lane, CRNP, CWCN; Beth L. Dinoff, PhD; and Marca L. Sipski, MD
Management of secondary conditions is one of the more significant concerns of individuals with spinal […]

HO is a devastating condition that turns soft tissue into hardened bone.
By Tiffiny Carlson
It had been six years since the accident that resulted in my becoming a C-6 quadriplegic. And it was one of the most bizarre things I had ever experienced.
I realized something wasn’t quite right when I woke up one […]

Two decades after a cervical spinal cord injury, Ken Ryno became determined to walk again.

by Michael Lee

Even though he’s been in a wheelchair for the past 23 years, Kenneth Ryno, 46, never let his spinal cord injury get the best of him. His doctors told him he would never walk again. He knew that […]

By Ed Lash
One of the most common complications with multiple sclerosis (MS) is a tricky bladder, primarily regarding frequency and urgency. This may cause some people to limit their fluid intake, thereby reducing the flushing action to eliminate waste products through the urinary tract and often resulting in a low-grade bladder infection, which only […]

Therapeutic riding offers many people with spinal cord disorders a fun way to improve balance, mental outlook and overall health.
By Celina R. De León

Brenda Smith (in chair) gave up most sports when she began
raising her children, but recently she’s discovered a
passion for horseback riding.

Brenda Smith of central Florida said it was three years ago when […]

Tripping the light fantastic can be good for your health and for your social life.
By Kelly Rouba

Cleveland’s Dancing Wheels modern dance company. People of all abilities can use any or all parts of their bodies to move to the music. (Photo by Dale Dong, courtesy of Dancing Wheels)
As a young man living in […]