NMOSD symptoms

Different patterns of shrinkage in the brain and spinal cord are associated with distinct clinical outcomes in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a study reports. Findings suggest that NMOSD patients showing shrinkage, or atrophy, in outer brain regions are more likely to experience substantial physical disability and/or…

Ofatumumab, a medication approved for multiple sclerosis (MS), may effectively prevent relapses and disability in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to a study in China. At their last follow-up, about 80% of the 112 patients analyzed were free from relapses, and more than 60% experienced significant reductions…

It’s a weird feeling, always waiting for the other shoe to drop, knowing there’s a secret assassin lurking in my body. It causes me anxiety. That’s what life is like with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), which I’ve had for 16 years. Lately, though, I’ve been OK, as I…

More than one-third of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have involuntary muscle contractions or movements, while about one-quarter develop a lack of motor coordination. That’s according to a systematic review of nearly 100 published studies, which found that individuals with NMOSD may experience a wide range of…

People who develop neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) at 50 years or older are significantly more likely to experience worse recovery from relapses and faster disability progression than those with early-onset disease, a study in Germany showed. These increased risks were seen despite comparable relapse rates, more intensive relapse…

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is largely known for its effect on the central nervous system, but the associated skin issues are often overlooked. For those of us living with NMOSD, the skin can become a silent messenger, reflecting the internal battle happening within our body. From goose…

When I felt the familiar heaviness in my body, I bravely faced it. “It’s OK,” I told myself. “I’ve been here before and recovered. I can do this.” As I lay in the hospital bed, a prisoner to the many doctors and specialists who checked on me throughout the day…

As I sat at the table across from my family, I forced an appreciative smile. But the smell of the home-cooked meal — lemon herbed potatoes, Greek chicken, and brown rice — was suddenly too much for me to handle. My husband had been working on this perfectly cooked meal…

In the five years before their first disease attack, people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) required significantly more doctor’s office visits and hospitalizations than their peers in the general population, a new study from Canada found. The researchers believe these findings point to the presence of an NMOSD…

I’ve always believed that everything happens for a reason, but for me, it’s rarely convenient when it does. Is there ever a good time to have a neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) attack? Even if I could schedule when my body decides to have a meltdown, my life wouldn’t…