Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO), also called Devic’s disease, is a rare yet severe disease when your immune system attacks the nervous system. It mainly affects the eyes, spinal cord, and particular parts of your brainstem.
Neuromyelitis Optica affects myelin, an insulation around the nerves. In most cases, it attacks optic nerves and the spinal cord, which transmit signals from the eyes to the brain. As a result, NMO may lead to paralysis and blindness.
Understanding the life expectancy of people who suffer from Neuromyelitis Optica creates an informed approach for providing quality care and support.
Always speak to a trusted vaccine injury attorney for legal support if you’ve sustained a vaccine-related illness or injury.
Neuromyelitis Optica Life Expectancy: Insights
Symptoms of Neuromyelitis Optica
NMO causes attacks, which means the symptoms can come and go. Attacks mostly last for days to a month at a time. NMO attacks are severe and can cause permanent damage— when an attack happens, the effect might be permanent, outlasting an episode.
Here are the possible symptoms of NMO:
- Loss of vision
- Paralysis in legs or arms
- Difficulty controlling bladder or bowel
- Numbness or weakness in legs and arms
- Uncontrolled hiccups and vomiting
The following are the possible complications of NMO:
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Visual blindness or impairment
- Muscle spasms or stiffness
- Visual impairment or blindness
- Paralysis or weakness of one or more limb
NMO is a lifelong condition for people with MOG or AQP4 antibodies. People with Neuromyelitis Optica disorder are often required to take immune-suppressing drugs for many years or the rest of their lives to avoid attacks.
In previous years, patients with NMO disorder had a very negative outlook. Credit to research and medical advancement, NMO is treatable. Medications that manage the condition reduce the relapse rate by up to 88%.
Unfortunately, people who experience frequent NMO attacks are likely to suffer loss of specific abilities like vision and movement.
The life expectancy of NMO patients varies significantly, depending on factors such as:
- Treatment
- Early diagnosis
- Genetic and demographic factors
- Illness progression
- Illness frequency
For instance, early diagnosis and treatment are essential for mitigating severity and reducing the associated mortality rate.
Mobility and Independence: Living with NMO
Disability from NMO becomes worse over time, which is why most people develop weakness in their arms or legs. Many people with NMO may be required to use a ventilator, a machine used to breathe.
Can People With NMO Walk?
Whether you’ll walk after suffering NMO depends on the nature of the attack. For instance, you might suffer myelitis, a spinal cord inflammation that partially or wholly blocks signals attempting to pass through the affected area.
The symptoms of myelitis depend on the location of the swelling and the part of the spinal cord or nerves it affects. If the swelling puts pressure on spinal nerves, you’ll encounter symptoms of the body parts that rely on the nerves to connect to the brain.
Ultimately, an inflammation of the spinal cord leads to weakness or paralysis in arms or legs, walking difficulties, and loss of sensation.
Can People With NMO Drive?
If you suffer from muscle weakness or paralysis, it may prove difficult or impossible to drive.
Some people who get NMO suffer muscle weakness and paralysis, which affects body parts below the affected spinal cord or further below the spinal nerves. As a result, it can cause trouble using your hands or develop issues walking or standing.
Your ability to drive may be impeded when a lack of control signals from the brain causes muscles to act on their own. As a result, muscles flex or tighten uncontrollably, hindering your ability to drive.
How Physical Therapy Promotes Independence Among NMO Patients
Physical therapy supports patients with mobility difficulties in maintaining their independence by addressing their physical limitations and enhancing their overall well-being.
A physiotherapist can achieve the above objectives through:
- Addressing Mobility: A physiotherapist can address an individual’s mobility challenges by addressing a particular area of concern. They primarily promote enhanced mobility through targeted exercises and advice to improve coordination, strength, and stability.
- Strength Training: Through a tailored exercise program, a physiotherapist can help NMO patients improve their strength, endurance, and overall fitness. As a result, they can again have the strength to perform daily activities such as walking, driving, and hobbies.
- Assistive Device Training: People who have trouble walking need training on the proper use of devices such as canes and walkers. They can learn safe use techniques and guidance for navigating different environments, promoting independence in daily activities.
The Progression of Neuromyelitis Optica
If you develop NMO, expect the condition to materialize without warning. However, approximately a third of infected people(or less) develop respiratory illness or any other illness just before acquiring the condition.
NMO infection causes eye pain and disruption of vision after an attack on your optic nerves. These symptoms get worse over a few days before worsening. Unfortunately, these symptoms can be permanent if there’s significant damage to your optic nerves.
Even so, treatment can prevent permanent damage.
NMO may also affect the bottom part of the brain—brainstem— and spinal cord. As a result, it causes automatic body processes to malfunction, triggering nausea, vomiting, and uncontrolled hiccups.
Treatment of NMO involves long-term suppression of your immune system, which puts you at risk of infection. As such, people taking immuno-suppressing drugs should take precautions to lower their risk of infections.
Neuromyelitis Optica in the United States: A Look at the Numbers
Neuromyelitis Optica is a rare condition, with experts suggesting that only about 15,000 people in the United States are infected with the condition. However, the number may keep rising as doctors find better ways to diagnose NMO.
Get in Touch With an Experienced Vaccine Injury Attorney for Legal Help
Since Neuromyelitis Optica is a life-long condition, victims can endure a lifetime of flare-ups of symptoms, hefty medical expenses, and lost quality of life. You deserve representation from an experienced attorney who’ll aggressively fight to protect your rights.
Jeffrey S. Pop & Associates is a team of highly experienced attorneys committed to representing injured attorneys. Reach out online or at (888) 891-2816 for a free case evaluation.