Multiple Sclerosis

Do you experience pain caused by multiple sclerosis? Discover the treatments we offer to alleviate your symptoms. Our healthcare providers will design a personalized treatment plan for you.

Treatments:

• Deep Paraspinal Botox Injections
• Intrathecal Baclofen Pump
• Physical Therapy

To schedule an appointment, please call us or fill out our appointment request form by clicking here.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. This condition interrupts communication within the brain and between the brain and the rest of the body. MS can be a debilitating and chronic condition that primarily affects individuals of European descent, and women are affected two to three times more than men. Although there is no known cure for MS, it can be managed through effective healthcare planning.

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, disrupting communication between the brain and the rest of the body. MS can be a debilitating condition that significantly affects an individual’s quality of life. This disease affects approximately one million Americans, or three out of every 1,000 individuals. Diagnosis typically occurs between the ages of 20 and 50, with women affected two to three times more than men.

What does an MS attack feel like?

MS symptoms may vary from person to person and over time depending on the location of the affected nerve fibers. An MS attack is characterized by a prominent bout of symptoms, which may have been experienced before but with greater intensity, or new symptoms may appear.

Symptoms often affect movement, such as:

• Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs, usually on only one side of the body at a time or on the legs and torso
• Lhermitte’s sign, which feels like an electric shock that occurs when bending the neck forward, or with other neck movements
• Tremors, lack of coordination, or unsteady gait

Vision problems are also common, including:

• Partial or complete loss of vision, which typically affects only one eye at a time and often causes pain when moving the eyes
• Prolonged double vision
• Blurry vision

Other symptoms may include:

• Slurred speech
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Tingling/pain in parts of the body
• Problems with sexual, bowel and bladder function

Is MS easily treatable if caught early?

If MS is caught early, treatment can begin sooner, which can have a positive impact on the disease’s prognosis. Taking medication soon after the first symptoms appear reduces how many times those symptoms will recur. People who take MS medicines early are less likely to have a disability when compared with people who do not. Those who started medicine early—within 6 months to 2 years after the initial diagnosis—were less disabled than those who began medicine later.

How long does MS take to disable you?

Most people do not become severely disabled. It is uncertain whether early use of drugs can prevent long-term disability in a smaller group who may face a disability.

How can I stop my MS from progressing?

Although researchers are developing treatments, therapies, and procedures to stop MS from progressing, they are still under development and not yet available for medical use. However, certain lifestyle changes can affect how the disease progresses, potentially slowing it down. These include:

• Adhering to the treatment plan
• Exercising regularly
• Eating a healthy diet
• Taking lots of Vitamin D
• Getting restful sleep
• Avoiding tobacco smoke

Our compassionate and experienced professionals specialize in managing multiple sclerosis and can help you improve your quality of life. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or visit one of our clinics to meet with our healthcare professionals. Our locations in Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice