The doctor-patient relationship, a key factor in the evolution of multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis patient

(Madrid. Lucila Rodríguez)

Multiple sclerosis is known as the disease of a thousand faces due to the variety of symptoms it usually presents, as well as the different types and evolutions it can have, which means that each patient needs to be treated in a personalized way and with a multidisciplinary approach.

Both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures have evolved dramatically in the last decades, allowing many affected people to lead practically normal lives, even though many are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40.

However, if there is no relationship of trust between the doctor and the patient, neither the diagnosis nor the treatment will be effective, as Dr. Fernando Pérez Parra, neurologist and assistant physician of the Clinical Neurology Unit of the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid, assures.

“Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease in which multiple situations will arise over the years in which decisions will have to be made, faced and problems solved, so it is important that the physician is empathetic with the patient and that the affected person trusts his or her healthcare professional, is able to tell him or her all the symptoms and, in addition, raise his or her doubts and concerns,” says Dr. Pérez Parra.

The importance of the doctor-patient relationship is reflected from the moment of diagnosis, since this is when the immumodulator treatment is decided, which will be maintained for years (if the patient tolerates it adequately) and conditions aspects of daily life such as, for example, the need or not to go regularly to the day hospital or, in the case of women, to become pregnant.

In addition, during follow-up it is also essential that the patient and the physician have good communication, since both have to discuss all the issues that concern them about the disease and, in the case of the affected person, talk about other aspects such as anxiety, low mood, sphincter alteration, sexual dysfunction or cognitive problems.

The peace of mind of feeling cared for and listened to

This is also the opinion of Isabel, a patient with multiple sclerosis for 35 years who, thanks to the relationship of trust she has forged with the healthcare professionals who have treated her, faces her illness with “peace of mind”.

“If I had not had that relationship of trust with my doctors, I would have lived all the years with anguish for not being able to share my fears with them. They have never deceived me, nor have they ever treated me with warm fuzzies, but they have helped me to see that many times things are much less serious than I imagined in my head,” he says.

Precisely, the Clinical Neurology Service of the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid has a multidisciplinary team of experts who provide comprehensive care to those affected by multiple sclerosis.

“We are really proud of our team. We have physiotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, speech therapists and occupational therapists. In addition, we have recently incorporated a therapeutic yoga program that is very interesting,” explains Dr. Perez Parra.

Finally, both the patient and the neurologist stressed the importance of the patient also being informed because he or she will make better decisions and avoid factors that worsen his or her quality of life, such as, for example, tobacco or alcohol consumption, a sedentary lifestyle or being overweight. “Fortunately, we patients are now much more informed and cared for on all levels, not just the physical,” says Isabel.