What is MS and how can it impact your job?

On Behalf of | Apr 23, 2018 | Long-Term Disability Insurance

You’ve been working at your job for several years. The company is great and you have turned coworkers into lifelong friends. You enjoy the work that you do and most days are relatively pleasant. As far as careers go, yours has been going smoothly.

But now you have concerns. A few weeks ago you started feeling ill. At first you felt tired and a little faint, but now things are getting worse. You’ve done some research and now you can’t help but wonder if something more serious is going on. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an illness you’ve heard of, and some of your searches have resulted in this term, but you have questions. Do you have it? Will it impact your ability to work? What will happen financially if you can’t do your job?

Understanding Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is disease that involves the spine and brain. When you have MS, your brain has trouble communicating with the rest of your body. According to the Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms vary and are different for everyone.

The following are common symptoms of multiple sclerosis:

  • Numbness in fingers, toes, arms and legs
  • Vision loss
  • Eye pain
  • Tremors and balance issues
  • Fatigue and dizziness
  • Slurring of words
  • Bowel and bladder issues
  • Tingling and shocks

How will this impact your job?

This list of symptoms can be frightening. If you are diagnosed with MS, you may feel all, or just a few of these affects. Unfortunately, this means that such a diagnosis may interfere with your ability to continue doing your work.

Don’t panic. You will still have your coworkers turned friends, and you will always have claim to all of your work accomplishments thus far. When it comes to finances, you have options. If you meet the qualifications, you can file for social security disability or long-term disability to help your financial stability. It is possible that your ability to work won’t be affected for years. Keep the love of your job in your mind, but always put your health and well-being first and know that you have options.

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