Palliative care in motor neurone disease.

Abstract

Motor neurone disease (MND) is a fatal, progressive, neurodegenerative disease with no known cure. Deterioration of upper and lower motor neurones leads to progressive weakness, and disability and death usually occur within 5 years. The symptoms of MND are many and varied, and lead to progressive loss of function and potential loss of dignity. Professionals may wrongly give the impression that little can be done for patients with this devastating disease. However, symptom relief is of paramount importance in maintaining quality of life in MND. Patients may suffer from pain and immobility, speech and swallowing problems, emotional difficulties, bowel and bladder problems, dyspnoea and ventilatory failure. Nurses and therapists involved in palliative care will have met many of these symptoms in other diseases and are well placed to extend their expertise to patients with MND and their families.