b'Life with MSSSppeecciiaalliissttssPPllaayyaaPPaarrttiinnCCaarreeSSppeeeecchhtthheerraappiissttss,,pphhyyssiiaattrriissttss,,aannddddiieettiicciiaannssoofftteennoovveerrllooookkeeddppaarrttnneerrssiinnMMSSjjoouurrnneeyyBy Bhavya SuriGetting diagnosed with multiple sclerosis isaretrainedtohelpyoustrengthenthese life-changing and can require an entire villagemuscles and build back your coordination so to get through. Part of this village is all theyou can be able to smile and communicate loved ones who support you. The other part isin your daily life.the medical team, including your physicians,PPssyycchhoollooggiissttall withdifferentspecialtiesbecausethe disease itself causes symptoms in differentOneofthespecialistsmany wouldnot areas. Some of the most common specialtyconsider common with this chronic illness is physicians that people with MS use area psychologist. Whether you have a village neurologists, physical therapists, andfull of loved ones willing to be your caregivers occupational therapists. But what about theor support you in any way necessary, or you otherspecialtyphysiciansweoftendontare going through this journey alone, it always think about as options? Specialties such as ahelps to talk things out. Although a psychologist speech pathologist, a psychologist, a physiatrist,cannot help with the physical journey your or even a dietician can all play a role in assistingbody is going through, they can help you with the journey of MS. the emotional and mindfulness journey that S p will occur. Lets face it, there are always topics Sppeeeecchhpaatthhoollooggiisstt we may not feel comfortable telling our loved At least a third of people with MS probablyonesormaybesometimes,weratherjust experience some changes in their swallowingskip a difficult conversation that we know has at some time. This is where seeing a speechno good outcome. It is in times like these that pathologist would be ideal. Speech pathologistshaving a psychologist helps.can be used when there are difficulties withPswallowing, breathing, speech, or cognition.PssyycchhiiaattrriissttDysphagia, the difficulty of swallowing, canOn a physical level, MS can cause changes occur at any point in the course of the disease.to your brain that can affect your mood or With MS, there are a multitude of issues thatthinking. A psychiatrist can help with medical can come such as having weakness of yourtreatment of MS-induced depression, anxiety, facial muscles, or losing coordination of youror other mental health changes. A neuro- mouth and throat muscles. Speech pathologistspsychiatrist can diagnose cognitive changes msfocusmagazine.org 16'