Category: Nicholas Burstow

Week 4 at the MS Trust

Almost a week has passed since I finished my internship at the MS Trust and I have had time to reflect on what has been a wonderful experience. My fourth week involved finishing the literary search and a final visit to the local therapy centre. I was also lucky enough to spend two days with my supervisor, a physiotherapist, in Norwich, where I saw more people with MS receiving therapy.

I have deliberately kept this entry short as I have written a detailed blog for the MS Trust website detailing all my experiences – both during my final week and over the whole placement – which can be found here: http://www.mstrust.org.uk/interactive/mstrust/2014/my-summer-at-the-ms-trust-learning-from-people-with-ms/

Week 3 at the MS Trust

I have now completed my third week at the MS Trust and I am pleasantly surprised at how much I have learnt in what has been a relatively short amount of time. My literature search has continued and I have covered a wide range of health interventions for people with MS (PwMS). I have looked into quality of life amongst PwMS, specifically looking at how MS can affect people’s careers, movement, and the economic burden it may have.

Many PwMS find that their mobility decreases over time, which may lead to them becoming wheelchair-, or even bed-bound. Such drastic changes in lifestyle can cause a multitude of problems; from pressure sores, contractures (where a muscle becomes permanently shortened), deconditioning, and even muscle atrophy; immobility can affect much more than a person’s ability to get from A to B.

Week 2 at the MS Trust

Today marks the end of my second week at the MS Trust. Now that I have settled into my role and got to know everyone I am working with, time is passing me by very quickly. I’m very surprised to see that I have reached the halfway-point of my internship already.

As I wrote in my last entry, the MS Trust is a charity that deals with all aspects of MS – from people with MS, to health professionals working with these individuals. The more time I spend here, the more I appreciate this fact.

This week I have continued with my literature searching, looking at the impacts MS can have on suicide risk, as well as looking at ways to manage patients with MS.

Week 1 at the MS Trust

The MS Trust is a wonderful charity whose principal aim is to improve the lives of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Not only do they provide information and support to those with MS, but they also aid health professionals working with People with MS (PwMS). They publish newsletters, participate and fund research, as well as educate health professionals. All in all the charity does a huge range of things, far more than I had anticipated when I first heard about them.

As part of this work with health professionals, the MS Trust is working alongside another organisation – ‘Therapists in MS’ (TiMS) – to produce a ‘toolkit’ to be used by allied health professionals involved in the care of people with MS.