General practitioners (GPs) and primary care providers (PCPs) are usually the first to encounter people with symptoms suggestive of MS. They play a critical role in establishing a timely diagnosis and referring patients promptly to a neurologist.
GPs have a pivotal role in co-ordinating the management of patients with MS. MS is a lifelong disorder with the potential to cause significant physical, cognitive and mental health disability. Patients are best cared for by a multidisciplinary team, of which GPs are a crucial part.
Letting them know about the type and pattern of symptoms you're experiencing in detail will help them determine whether you might have the condition. If the GP thinks you could have MS you should see a neurologist, a specialist in conditions of the nervous system, for an assessment.
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.
People commonly see neurologists about: neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, multiple scleroris (MS) and motor neurone disease.
For primary-progressive MS , ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) is the only FDA-approved disease-modifying therapy (DMT). Those who receive this treatment are slightly less likely to progress than those who are untreated.
Some conditions that doctors may commonly misdiagnose as MS include migraine, RIS, spondylopathy, and neuropathy. To accurately diagnose MS, doctors must rule out conditions with similar symptoms and look for signs and symptoms specific to MS. As such, the process of diagnosing MS may be lengthy and complex.
Regular checkups with your neurologist are par for the course with MS. In general, you should expect to visit your doctor every three months and get a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan every 12 months to find out if your disease-modifying drug is working.
MRI Scans. An MRI is the best imaging technology to detect scarring or MS plaques in different parts of the central nervous system (CNS). This test can also distinguish old MS plaques from those currently active or new ones.
An MRI scanner uses a strong magnetic field to create a detailed image of inside your brain and spinal cord. It's very accurate and can pinpoint the exact location and size of any inflammation, damage or scarring (lesions). MRI scans confirm a diagnosis in over 90 per cent of people with MS.
This nerve damage makes it hard to move your muscles and leads to a heavy feeling in your legs (or other areas of your body). MS spasticity can cause any muscle in your body to feel weak, heavy and difficult to move. It is a result of damage along the nerves of the brain and spinal cord controlling movement.
There are lots of different ways to manage MS. They include drug treatments, exercise, diet and other lifestyle changes. There are over a dozen disease modifying therapies (DMTs) licensed to treat relapsing and some forms of progressive MS. Taking one can mean you get fewer, and less serious, relapses.
A: “Neurologists rely on primary care physicians to be our eyes and ears,” Dr. Rensel explains. “When MS is diagnosed, the neurologist may see the patient once or twice a year vs. the patient's more frequent office visits and calls to the primary doctor.
When the first MRI does not meet diagnostic criteria, a repeat MRI every 6 months is recommended; Spinal cord MRI is not recommended for routine follow-up, although it's still crucial in making the initial diagnosis, as it provides important prognostic information.
These include fibromyalgia and vitamin B12 deficiency, muscular dystrophy (MD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), migraine, hypo-thyroidism, hypertension, Beçhets, Arnold-Chiari deformity, and mitochondrial disorders, although your neurologist can usually rule them out quite easily.
In many patients, over a span of 5 to 15 years, the attacks begin more indolently, persist more chronically and remit less completely, gradually transforming into a pattern of steady deterioration rather than episodic flares.
Sarcoidosis is another inflammatory autoimmune disease that shares some symptoms with MS, including fatigue and decreased vision. But sarcoidosis most commonly affects the lungs, lymph nodes, and skin, causing a cough or wheezing, swollen lymph nodes, and lumps, sores, or areas of discoloration on the skin.
An “average” number of lesions on the initial brain MRI is between 10 and 15. However, even a few lesions are considered significant because even this small number of spots allows us to predict a diagnosis of MS and start treatment.
Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that can mimic some of the symptoms of MS such as fatigue and joint pain. However, Sjogren's syndrome is known to cause dry mouth and eyes, which are not associated with MS.
The advice for people with MS is the same as for everyone when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthily, exercise sensibly, stay hydrated, drink sensibly to reduce the risks from alcohol and don't smoke.
Ocrevus and Tysabri account for over 85% of the patient share of multiple sclerosis medications. Ocrevus experienced a 5.6% year-over-year (YoY) growth, while all other top 10 medications experienced less than a 1.8% YoY change in variance.
Characteristics of the MS gait pattern
You may walk more slowly, with shorter steps. You may lack in confidence when you walk – leading to hesitation and stumbling. You might feel unsteady when turning or walking. You might find placing your foot on the ground difficult.