Ease your Own MS Pain with a Handicapped Tag

A handicapped parking sticker or rearview mirror sign does not slap a permanent label of “disabled” on you when you have multiple sclerosis. It is simply a tool of aid for those “bad” days when you are greatly fatigued or in pain. You may feel uncomfortable using the handicapped parking, especially when you may look good but not feel good. It can be hard explaining your disease to those well-meaning individuals who serve to “police” a parking area to ensure that the truly disabled are getting the parking places they need.

As an MS sufferer, you do have a chronic, potentially debilitating illness which could be disabling at certain times. Why should you suffer when you are doing everything you can to have a normal life? Using the tag during these times is just a tool, like taking an aspirin when you have a headache.

When you are feeling great you do not have to use the handicap tag but it is great to have in those painful times when every move is agony. There are several reasons why the tag makes sense:

1. Fatigue is a major factor in MS and you should do everything you can to conserve energy. You have to ration and build up energy reserves to call upon during those times when you are particularly fatigued. In this instance, parking close to a store or other destination can conserve a lot of energy.

2. Heat intolerance can be a major problem in MS and if you can park close to your destination, you are exposed just a short amount of time and thereby can avoid the symptom exacerbation that heat can bring. The two major areas that heat will impair are vision and cognitive skills – the two most important functions for driving and interacting while shopping and more. Parking close means that you can get to the cool air conditioned climate controlled destination a lot sooner.

3. If your physical activity is impaired enough to necessitate a walker, wheelchair or scooter, a handicap parking tag can put you close to entrances and the necessary ramps to make entry into buildings and sidewalks a lot easier.

Eligibility Requirements

Each state in the country has their own rules and regulations about what constitutes disabled. Some states say that your ability to walk must be hugely affected by disease, say not being able to traverse more than fifty feet without rest, before being eligible for a tag. Other states may have different distance requirements or are more lenient as to the requirements. Some just require that you have a designation of “disable” from your doctor in order to get a handicap permit. Check with your state governmental offices for the rules.

Your doctor will have the proper forms for you to fill out to turn into the appropriate state office to receive your handicap parking tag. There are blue tags which indicate that you require some type of device for assistance for mobility while red tags indication that you are disabled but do not require assistive tools. Remember, you don’t have to use the tag, especially when you are having a good day and can move easily. However, be grateful that you do have one for those days when fatigue has done a number of you and it is all you can do to get out of the car.