Multiple Sclerosis Specialist

What is multiple sclerosis (MS)?

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects your central nervous system, which includes your brain and spinal cord.

In MS, your immune system attacks the protective covering over your nerve fibers, which affects the communication between your brain and the rest of your body. Over time, the connection continues to break down and ultimately can result in permanent damage or destruction of the nerves which can eventually lead to a disability if left untreated.

The cause of multiple sclerosis isn’t known. While there’s no cure, the team at Southlake Neurology & Neurophysiology Clinic focuses on slowing down the progression of the disease and ensuring your symptoms are well-controlled.

What are the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis symptoms vary significantly from person to person and depend on which nerve fibers are under attack and how active your immune system is.

Multiple functions in your body may be disrupted by MS symptoms, including:

Vision

MS can cause blurry or double vision, as well as a partial or total loss of vision, usually affecting one eye at a time.

Speech

A common symptom of MS involves your ability to speak, with many people experiencing episodes of slurred or slowed speech.

Movements

MS can cause persistent weakness or numbness in your arms and legs. You may also develop muscle weakness or feel shock-like sensations with certain neck movements.

Organ function

As MS progresses, you may experience dysfunction in your major organs, especially the loss of bowel and bladder control and limited sexual function.

Many people experience intermittent episodes of MS symptoms, with symptoms resolving for several days or weeks before a relapse occurs. For some, remission of MS symptoms can last for years before returning.

How is multiple sclerosis treated?

The team at Southlake Neurology & Neurophysiology Clinic takes a multidisciplinary approach to multiple sclerosis care. You can expect the staff to continually monitor your neurological and overall health through routine follow-up exams.

Out-patient services are available at Southlake Neurology & Neurophysiology Clinic for physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy. The medical team also provides intravenous (IV) infusions of certain medications for treating MS, such as:

• Immunoglobulin (IgG)
• Lemtrada®
• Ocrevus
• Pulsed-dose steroids
• Rituximab
• Tysabri®

Your Southlake Neurology & Neurophysiology Clinic provider can also provide resources for multiple sclerosis support to help you cope with the changes in your health, especially during a relapse.

If you have symptoms of multiple sclerosis that need a diagnosis or need help managing MS relapses, call Southlake Neurology & Neurophysiology Clinic today.