Multiple Sclerosis Specialist

What is multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable autoimmune disease that damages your central nervous system, including your spine, brain, and optic nerves. Multiple sclerosis causes inflammation in your myelin — the fatty tissue that surrounds your nerves — and your nerve fibers. This inflammation can damage your myelin and your nerves.

The damaged areas on your central nervous system give the disease its name — you develop multiple patches of scarring, which is clinically known as sclerosis. This scarring disrupts or stops the signals that travel through your central nervous system and causes a variety of disruptive neurological symptoms.

What are the signs of multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis causes a wide variety of symptoms depending on the location of your scarring and its severity. In most cases, symptoms become worse and more disabling over time. Some of the common symptoms include:

• Numbness and tingling
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Balance and walking problems
• Muscle spasm
• Blurred or double vision
• Cognitive changes
• Mood changes

Multiple sclerosis is a highly variable condition, and your experience could be completely different than another person. For example, some patients experience a gradual onset of their symptoms. Others have episodes or flare-ups when their symptoms dramatically increase, and when the event subsides, they’re weaker or have increased day-to-day symptoms.

How is multiple sclerosis diagnosed?

There isn’t a single test to identify multiple sclerosis, but Dr. Elkayam provides comprehensive testing to gather information about your condition and rule out other diseases. The diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis include:

• At least two separate areas of damage 
• Evidence that the damage occurred at different times
• Ruling out all other possible diseases

In addition to a thorough neurological exam, he also orders tests, including blood work, MRIs, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, to determine if you have multiple sclerosis.

How is multiple sclerosis treated?

Dr. Elkayam provides customized comprehensive care to help you manage multiple sclerosis. Your treatment plan includes various approaches to help you manage your symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. Dr. Elkayam might prescribe medication and different types of rehabilitation. 

For example, if your balance or walking gait is affected, physical therapy can help you develop strength and flexibility to reduce your risk of falling and help you stay mobile. Additionally, some medications can suppress your immune system to prevent or minimize further damage to your central nervous system. 

If you’re concerned about multiple sclerosis, call Ezra Elkayam MD Neurology to make an appointment today for customized testing and treatment.