How is MS diagnosed?
Diagnosing MS requires a thorough evaluation as symptoms can often mimic other autoimmune diseases. Because of these overlapping symptoms and complex presentations, it can take several months to years to get a full diagnosis and rule out other diseases. The neurologists at Hattiesburg Clinic work closely with other specialists including rheumatologists, infectious disease specialists, urologists and family medicine physicians to understand your health history and get you to a diagnosis sooner.
Our neurologists will use a combination of advanced diagnostic tools and tests to confirm a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
- Medical history and neurological exam: We identify symptoms such as fatigue, numbness, muscle weakness or vision problems.
- Spinal Tap: A lumbar puncture helps us analyze spinal fluid for abnormalities linked to MS.
- Blood tests: A full blood panel helps us rule out other conditions with similar symptoms.
- MRI: Imaging will help us detect brain and spinal cord lesions that indicate nerve damage.
- EMG: An electromyography or EMG is a test that measures the electrical activity of muscles in response to nerve stimulation.
- Nerve conduction study: This test is used to evaluate the speed and strength of the peripheral nerves.
No one symptom or test can diagnose MS. To make a diagnosis, Hattiesburg Clinic providers follow the McDonald Criteria as defined by the MS Society. This criteria requires our physicians to not only rule out all other diagnoses but also find evidence of damage in two separate areas of the central nervous system and evidence this damage occurred at different times.