Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease and basically what that means is that the immune system, the part of the body that normally attacks viruses and bacteria gets confused and attacks a good part of the body.
Every autoimmune disease has a different target and the target with MS is the coding of the nerves, which is a substance called Myelin. And when Myelin is attacked, it damages the nerves so that the signals don’t run properly and results in the symptoms that we see from multiple sclerosis, some of which can be numbness and tingling. Sometimes people have weakness or sometimes they have vision loss. The symptoms depend on the areas that are damaged by the immune system.
I’ve always had a passion for educating my patients and I spend a lot of time explaining what multiple sclerosis is.
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One of the things that really surprised me is that there are many people living with this disease who have had it for 10 or 20 years and when asked what is multiple sclerosis, they have difficulty explaining that. So I found it very important for me to help my patients understand what the disease is and what they can do about it and what the goals of treatment are. And much of this education inspired me to write this book MS Made Simple and it is an essential guide to understanding a multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
I wrote this as a very easy guide, an overview for patients and their families to understand the disease because there’s not many resources out there that just explain MS and give that overview and the goals of treatment. And that was my inspiration. And I’ve had many patients who have received it and felt that it was very helpful.
It can be purchased on amazon.com. It also can be purchased on my website. I have the book and I also have a journal that can accompany the book, which is only sold on my website. I also recorded an audiobook for those who maybe necessarily don’t like reading the book in print so you can listen to it in the car on the way to and from work. So the audiobook is available on audible.com. It’s also available on Amazon and on iBooks.
Dr. Mitzi Joi Williams is a top neurologist and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Specialist in Atlanta, Georgia. She received her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology from Emory University and her Doctor of Medicine degree from Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Williams completed her internship and residency in neurology as well as a Clinical Fellowship in Multiple Sclerosis at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA. Dr. Williams has a strong interest in understanding and furthering research in MS in ethnic minority populations. She is a sought-after speaker and presenter and has discussed her research both nationally and internationally at various scientific meetings. She has spearheaded and participated in multiple Steering Committees and Work Groups to further research in underserved populations with MS. She also has recently increased involvement in efforts to increase diversity in clinical research and educate the community about the importance of research participation. Dr. Williams is the author of MS Made Simple: The Essential Guide to Understanding Your Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis. Because of her passion for teaching and advocacy.
