Symptoms & Treatments
Specialists in Stanford's Multiple Sclerosis (MS) clinic are focusing on new methods to diagnose and treat patients with this debilitating autoimmune disease. They are also working with neurologists and neuroscientists to develop new insights into the condition's nature and biology.
MS is a chronic central nervous system disease that affects about one in 1,000 Americans, usually young adults.
Symptoms
MS Symptoms can include:
- Tingling or numbness of the limbs
- Paralysis
- Vision loss
- Impaired bladder control
- Muscle weakness
- Profound fatigue
Severity of symptoms varies from patient to patient, and it is common for flare-ups to appear with no warning and subside for years at a time.
Diagnosis
Stanford clinicians diagnose MS using a variety of tests including:
- Neurological history and physical examination
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Electrical evoked response tests
- Spinal fluid analysis
- Other neurological exams
Although there is no cure for MS and treatment results vary among individuals, the Stanford neurological team is dedicated to finding the best solution possible for each patient.
Symptom Management
Treatments for MS may include corticosteroid medications to alleviate neural inflammation, immunomodulatory therapy to slow and modify the progression of symptoms, and symptomatic treatments.
For more information on symptom management and available treatment options, visit: