Exams and Tests

Diagnosing multiple sclerosis is difficult. The vague and nonspecific nature or this disease mimics many other diseases. Doctors combine history, physical exam, laboratory work, and sophisticated medical imaging techniques to arrive at a diagnosis.

• A complete blood count, blood chemistry, urine analysis, and often spinal fluid evaluation are all routine laboratory tests used to rule out other diagnoses and help confirm the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
  
  
• An MRI, which creates an image of the brain or the spinal cord, is used to search for changes within the brain or spinal cord that are particular to multiple sclerosis.
  
  
• More often than not, a neurology specialist is required to make a diagnosis.

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Multiple Sclerosis - Symptoms at Onset of Disease

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The symptoms of multiple sclerosis can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your symptoms at the onset of your disease?

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