World MS Day discussion in Talas

Health information programs for citizens continue without slowing down, organized by Talas Municipality. Most recently, on May 30th, World MS Day, Associate Professor Dr. Mehmet Fatih Yetkin from the Department of Neurology at Erciyes University (ERU) Faculty of Medicine and Associate Professor Dr. Ömer Faruk Bolattürk, a Neurology Specialist at Kayseri City Hospital, talked about the diagnosis and treatments of MS. The program held at the Municipality Council Hall was attended by MS patients and their relatives. President Yalçın was thanked. Opening the program, Associate Professor Dr. Mehmet Fatih Yetkin, a member of the Department of Neurology at ERU Faculty of Medicine and the President of the Kayseri MS Association, thanked Talas Mayor Mustafa Yalçın for hosting, while stating that Multiple Sclerosis, known as MS among the public, is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord for reasons that are not fully understood. ‘Disease is starting to be controlled.’ Dr. Yetkin stated that with the research conducted today, the disease is starting to be more controlled, saying, ‘In Kayseri, we provide outpatient services at our university clinic and also at our City Hospital. By the end of 2023, we established the Kayseri MS Association to provide better communication opportunities for our patients. With treatments, we prevent the attacks of the disease and the formation of new lesions and plaques getting worse. This result increases the patient’s quality of life. Smoking is a very significant risk factor. It causes both the disease to progress badly and fatigue.’ Pay attention to the symptoms of the disease. Neurology Specialist Associate Professor Dr. Ömer Faruk Bolattürk from Kayseri City Hospital stated that there is no clearly defined cause of MS, mentioning that genetic factors, viral infections, and environmental problems can cause the disease. While there are approximately 3 million MS patients worldwide, it is estimated that there are around 50-55 thousand patients in Turkey. It is mostly seen in the age range of 15-50, more commonly in women. Lack of sunlight exposure, obesity, smoking, and even passive smoking are among the causes of the disease. Symptoms such as loss of sensation and tingling, weakness, fatigue, exhaustion, difficulty in walking, loss of skills, tingling in neck movement, loss of balance, dizziness, vision loss, speech disorder, urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunctions are mostly observed.