| Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory neurological | | | | their balance. Loss of dexterity, muscle weakness |
| disease which generates a wide symptomatic | | | | and poorly coordinated moves are also suggestive |
| spectrum. Multiple sclerosis primarily affects the | | | | signs for multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Furthermore, |
| central nervous system, interfering with the normal | | | | sensorial dysfunctions, such as decreased vision, are |
| activity of the nervous cells. Multiple sclerosis involves | | | | very common to people with neurological diseases |
| deterioration of the neurons' myelin, a very important | | | | and an important multiple sclerosis diagnosis criterion |
| substance that facilitates the transmission of nervous | | | | involves looking for signs of internuclear |
| signals between nervous cells. If myelin is affected, | | | | ophthalmoplegia (double, blurred vision). |
| the connections between neurons are compromised | | | | The process of multiple sclerosis diagnosis often |
| and the body fails to respond promptly to external | | | | involves MRI scans and lumbar puncture. MRI scans |
| stimuli. | | | | (magnetic resonance imaging) are an important step |
| Multiple sclerosis can cause various dysfunctions in | | | | in confirming the multiple sclerosis diagnosis. MRI |
| different regions of the body, causing a wide range | | | | scans verify the integrity of the nervous system, |
| of physical, neurological and psychological | | | | using magnetic waves for generating pictures. If MRI |
| manifestations. The deterioration of myelin can affect | | | | scans can sometimes be inconclusive in the process |
| the body's motor functions, causing difficulty walking, | | | | of multiple sclerosis diagnosis, lumbar puncture is a |
| loss of dexterity, poorly coordinated moves, loss of | | | | reliable criterion in verifying the presence of |
| balance; sensorial functions, causing decreased visual | | | | neurological disease. Through the means of lumbar |
| acuity, altered perceptions of external stimuli; and | | | | puncture, doctors are able to inspect the state of |
| cognitive functions, causing poor mental performance, | | | | the spinal cord's fluid, checking for evidence of |
| loss of concentration and even memory loss. In some | | | | inflammation at the level of the nervous system. |
| cases, multiple sclerosis can even interfere with the | | | | Neuropsychological tests are also very important in |
| normal activity of the internal organs, causing renal | | | | the process of multiple sclerosis diagnosis. The aim of |
| affections and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. | | | | these tests is to find evidence of compromised |
| Due to the complex nature of multiple sclerosis | | | | mental performance due to destruction of myelin. |
| symptoms, it is virtually impossible to diagnose the | | | | Most patients with neurological diseases often suffer |
| disease relying solely on patients' external | | | | from poor concentration, decreased judgment and |
| manifestations. The symptoms generated by | | | | even short-term memory loss and the main purpose |
| neurological diseases have an unspecific character, | | | | of neuropsychological tests is to reveal the presence |
| thus making the process of multiple sclerosis diagnosis | | | | of these symptoms. Another important step in |
| even more difficult. Hence, multiple sclerosis can be | | | | establishing the multiple sclerosis diagnosis involves |
| correctly diagnosed only after performing elaborate | | | | looking for signs of depression, as more than 80 |
| physical examinations and various laboratory tests. | | | | percent of people affected by this type of |
| Multiple sclerosis diagnosis involves the accumulation | | | | neurological disease eventually become depressed. |
| of various suggestive data through the means of | | | | Multiple sclerosis diagnosis is very complex and |
| specific medical procedures and laboratory analyses. | | | | requires various medical procedures and tests for |
| The first step in the process of multiple sclerosis | | | | revealing conclusive signs of the disease. Most |
| diagnosis usually involves the examination of patients' | | | | patients are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis only if |
| motor functions. People with this type of neurological | | | | more than two specific tests confirm the presence |
| disease generally have trouble walking and maintaining | | | | of neurological dysfunctions. |