Should You Go to Occupational Therapy for MS?

Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) can make things tough, so keeping a well-stocked toolkit of strategies for making life more manageable and meaningful is key. Occupational therapy can help teach you many of these useful strategies.

All the regular activities or responsibilities you take part in—things like taking your medication on time, getting dressed, and doing household chores—are called occupations, according to the American Occupational Therapy Association. Occupational therapy is a type of therapy or rehabilitation that helps people maximize participation in their own lives, explains Ryan Patterson, an occupational therapist (OT) at Brooks Rehabilitation Institute of Higher Learning in Orlando, Florida.

“Occupational therapists provide a unique service and perspective to help patients and clients identify goals, barriers to participation, and ways to increase independence,” he says.