This week's episode of The Wellness Conversation featured an in-depth discussion on Multiple Sclerosis (MS), focusing on the resilience and achievements of women living with the condition. Hosts Marcus Thorpe and Lindsey Gordon engaged with experts Jacqueline Nicholas, MD, Chief of Neuroimmunology & Multiple Sclerosis at OhioHealth System, and Mysheika Roberts, MD, Public Health Commissioner, to explore treatment options and life with MS.
The conversation highlighted that MS affects more women than men. Dr. Nicholas explained the role of hormones in this disparity: "We know that there's a hormonal role here, and we see that when women or girls go through puberty and become women, that's really where that risk takes off, and there's that higher incidence in females compared to males."
Dr. Roberts shared her personal experience with MS symptoms shortly after completing medical school. She recounted a moment while on call in the medical ICU: "I realized that my vision was blurry and I couldn't really isolate it to one eye versus the other," leading to a diagnosis of optic neuritis, commonly associated with MS.
The discussion also addressed advancements in MS treatments since the 1990s. Dr. Nicholas noted significant progress: "They've made significant strides in treatments for MS. Our first treatment actually came out in the 1990s," she said. "Since that time, treatments have skyrocketed. There are over 25 treatments at this point for Multiple Sclerosis."