Initial Consultation
The first step is to undergo an initial MS evaluation with one of our Stony Brook neurologists who specializes in multiple sclerosis. You will undergo a complete neurological examination. This typically includes assessing thinking abilities, strength, coordination, sensation, walking ability, and eye and face movements. Common testing includes blood work, MRI/imaging, evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid, and optical coherence tomography — which is a non-invasive imaging test that uses light waves to take cross-section picture of your retina. With these assessments and diagnostic evaluations, our MS expert can make a diagnosis.
What we treat:
We’ve seen the best long-term outcomes when treatment starts early. We now know that ongoing, accumulating permanent damage in untreated patients can occur even when there are no symptoms. This makes early diagnosis and a long-term plan to manage the disease essential. Treatment occurs on many levels: disease modifying therapies, symptom management, treatment of acute attacks, ongoing health evaluations, lifestyle modifications and more. For optimal management of the disease, it’s important to develop a relationship with your Stony Brook neurologist, along with a multidisciplinary team that knows your history. Together, they can continually assess your health status, modify your treatment and support you every step of the way.
Some of the most common forms of MS:
- Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) — The first central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating attack
- Relapsing MS (RMS) — About 85 to 90 percent of all patients with MS have relapsing MS. It's characterized by intermittent attacks (flare-ups). In between these attacks, the person is clinically stable.
- Secondary-progressive MS (SPMS) — People who start out with RMS are at risk to develop SPMS with gradual worsening. The attacks generally decrease and ultimately stop.
- Primary-progressive MS (PPMS) — Representing about 10 to 15 percent of MS diagnoses, people with PPMS experience a slow but steady worsening of symptoms and disability from the onset. People with PPMS can experience relapses later in their disease.
- MS and other demyelinating diseases
- Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorder (or NMOSD) Also known as Devic’s disease, this rare neuro-immune disorder affects the eyes and spinal cord. It may also attack the brain.
- Transverse myelitis involves inflammation of the spinal cord, with bilateral weakness in arms and legs.
- Optic neuritis involves inflammation of the optic nerve, with eye pain accompanied by loss of vision.
- Post infectious encephalomyelitis/acute disseminated encephalomyelitis is inflammation involving the brain that causes confusion with a variety of other neurologic symptoms.
- Neurologic Lyme disease occurs when Lyme disease affects the central nervous system. The symptoms may be confused with MS. Being seen by one of our neurologists who are specially trained to know the differences is key.