Are MS symptoms an emergency?

Multiple sclerosis symptoms typically won't send you to the emergency department, but there may be instances when you need care quickly. Symptoms related to multiple sclerosis (MS) are rarely life threatening, but they can be painful and frightening — and may lead you to consider a trip to the hospital.

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Should I go to the ER if I think I have MS?

Most multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms don't require a trip to the emergency room, but it's not always clear where those diagnosed with the disease should turn to when they need care quickly. Dr.

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When should I be worried about MS symptoms?

The main symptoms include:
  • fatigue.
  • difficulty walking.
  • vision problems, such as blurred vision.
  • problems controlling the bladder.
  • numbness or tingling in different parts of the body.
  • muscle stiffness and spasms.
  • problems with balance and co-ordination.
  • problems with thinking, learning and planning.

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How sudden are MS symptoms?

Most symptoms develop abruptly, within hours or days. These attacks or relapses of MS typically reach their peak within a few days at most and then resolve slowly over the next several days or weeks so that a typical relapse will be symptomatic for about eight weeks from onset to recovery.

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Where do you go if you suspect MS?

A neurologist -- a doctor who specializes in treating the disease -- should be able to help. They'll ask how you're feeling and help you figure out if your symptoms mean you have MS or another problem.

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To the Emergency Room due to Multiple Sclerosis symptoms

26 related questions found

When should you seek medical attention for MS?

Seek emergency care if you experience symptoms such as significant pain, vision loss, or greatly reduced mobility. If you think you feel an MS flare-up beginning, take care to monitor your symptoms closely over the first 24 hours, if the symptoms are those you have experienced before.

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What can mimic multiple sclerosis?

Conditions That Can Seem Like MS
  • Epstein-Barr Virus.
  • Vitamin B12 Deficiency.
  • Diabetes.
  • Nerve Damage.
  • Eye Problems.
  • Stroke.
  • Lupus and Other Autoimmune Diseases.
  • Parkinson's Disease.

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How common is MS in Australia?

Over 25,600 people in Australia are living with multiple sclerosis, including 3,700 Queenslanders, and it affects each person differently. On average more than 10 Australians are diagnosed with MS every week.

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What triggers MS episode?

Possible triggers include infections and stress, but there may also be no noticeable trigger. Anyone who notices a worsening of symptoms or that new symptoms appear should contact a doctor in case they need additional treatment or monitoring.

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What triggers the start of MS?

Multiple sclerosis is caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves. It's not clear why this happens but it may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

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How long does it take for MS to disable you?

About 15% of patients will never necessitate assistance with ambulation, while 5-10% will do so within 5 years, and another 10% will do so in 15 years. Average patient will take about 28 years from the point of diagnosis to necessitate assistance while walking, and will be about 60 years of age.

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What are severe MS symptoms?

Symptoms of advanced MS
  • Pain in muscles nerves and joints, and sensory changes.
  • Bladder and bowel problems including incontinence, urinary tract infections and constipation.
  • Limited mobility and weakness (upper body and legs). ...
  • Muscle spasms, cramps and stiffness.

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How long do MS attacks last?

To be a true exacerbation, the attack must last at least 24 hours and be separated from the previous attack by at least 30 days. Most MS exacerbations last from a few days to several weeks or even months.

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Is an MS flare up an emergency?

Multiple sclerosis symptoms typically won't send you to the emergency department, but there may be instances when you need care quickly. Symptoms related to multiple sclerosis (MS) are rarely life threatening, but they can be painful and frightening — and may lead you to consider a trip to the hospital.

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Is an MS flare an emergency?

Most MS flares don't require a trip to the emergency department to treat. But sometimes MS-related symptoms do require immediate treatment. There may also be cases when your child's flare is triggered by a serious infection that requires immediate attention.

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Can an emergency room diagnose MS?

MS is typically onset in young adults between twenty to forty years old, and has been found two-three times more likely in women than in men. As a chronic illness, like many others, it can present in the emergency department as an undifferentiated neurologic complaint.

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What do MS flare ups feel like?

Increased fatigue. Tingling or numbness anywhere on the body. Brain fog, or difficulty thinking. Muscle spasms.

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What happens during an MS flare up?

Flare-ups happen when inflammation in your nervous system damages the layer that covers and protects nerve cells. This slows or stops nerve cell signals from getting to the parts of your body where they need to go.

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What is the most common pattern of MS attacks?

One of these, the most common form, was relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). Relapsing-remitting MS is defined as MS in which patients have relapses of MS and periods of stability in between relapses. Relapses are episodes of new or worsening symptoms not caused by fever or infection and that last more than 48 hours.

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Is MS classed as a disability in Australia?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) appears in the NDIS List B disabilities. These are permanent conditions where the functioning capabilities of the person diagnosed are variable.

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Does MS qualify for disability in Australia?

All Australians with MS should be entitled to support from the NDIS regardless of their age. Those aged 65 and over when the NDIS was introduced and those who develop a disability after turning 65 are ineligible for the NDIS and must pursue their disability needs through the aged care system.

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How long I can stay in Australia after MS?

To do so, you can apply for the post-study work visa, where the duration can be between two to four years, depending on your completed program. For more information, please head off to the Department of Home Affairs website for the details.

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How do you rule out multiple sclerosis?

Brain MRI is often used to help diagnose multiple sclerosis.
...
MRI multiple sclerosis lesions
  1. Blood tests, to help rule out other diseases with symptoms like MS . ...
  2. Spinal tap (lumbar puncture), in which a small sample of cerebrospinal fluid is removed from your spinal canal for laboratory analysis.

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Can you still have MS with a clear MRI?

Although MRI is a very useful diagnostic tool, a normal MRI of the brain does not rule out the possibility of MS. About 5 percent of people who are confirmed to have MS do not initially have brain lesions evidenced by MRI.

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Will an MRI show MS?

Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is a wonderful tool to help diagnose and follow people with MS. MRI is safe and relatively non-invasive yet can provide very detailed images of the brain and spinal cord that can reveal MS lesions (also known as demyelination, spots, or plaques) and changes in MS activity over time.

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