What is the life expectancy of someone with neuromyelitis optica?
Patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patients have a 91% to 98% five-year survival rate. Current research indicates that neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patients have a 91% to 98% five-year survival rate.
Is neuromyelitis optica a disability?
Neuromyelitis optica or NMO qualifies for severe disability because it affects the central nervous system, causing blindness and paralysis. Neuromyelitis optica or NMO qualifies for severe disability because it affects the central nervous system, causing blindness and paralysis.
Is neuromyelitis optica painful?
Terrible, agonizing, wretched, sickening and unbearable—these are words frequently used by patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) to describe a very common symptom of their disease: pain. More than 80% of patients with NMO experience pain from this condition, which severely affects their quality of life.
How serious is neuromyelitis optica?
Neuromyelitis optica is a rare but serious disease that affects the central nervous system. There is no cure but there medicines and treatments may inhibit future disease flares. Many healthcare providers including physical and occupational therapists, and social workers can help you deal with your disease.
Can you drive with optic neuritis?
Optic neuritis may affect your ability to drive. You have a legal obligation to tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) about any medical condition that could affect your driving.
Can people with NMO work?
NMO flare-ups can leave you with weakness, numbness, or paralysis in your arms and legs. This sometimes makes it harder for you to walk, work, or do other daily activities. Your doctor might suggest physical or occupational therapy to help you gain better use of your arms and legs.
Is NMO progressive?
NMO is a relapsing-remitting disease. During a relapse, new damage to the optic nerves and/or spinal cord can lead to accumulating disability. Unlike MS, there is no progressive phase of this disease.
What does NMO feel like?
Neuromyelitis optica can cause blindness in one or both eyes, weakness or paralysis in the legs or arms, painful spasms, loss of sensation, uncontrollable vomiting and hiccups, and bladder or bowel dysfunction from spinal cord damage. Children can have confusion, seizures or coma with NMO .