how do the diagnoses for MS and lyme disease differ?
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MS is diagnosed with protein electrophoresis of lumbar punction spinal fluid - it yields stripes caused by monoclonal antibodies. It is an autoimmune disease, treated with immunosuppression, however slowly progressive in most cases. \n\nLyme disease is a bacterial infection by Borrelia burgdorferi. The diagnose is established after antibody detection tests are positive in blood / synovial fluid / spinal fluid according to the presentation. The treatment is generally easier in bacterial infections (antibiotics), however if left untreated for a long time, the neurological sequels of lyme disease can be unreparable. \n\nGreets
171000
Here's what I found:\n\nAs a result of the inflammatory, demyelinating process in the central nervous system, people with MS can experience a wide variety of symptoms. The most common symptoms of MS include:\n\nFatigue (also called MS lassitude to differentiate it from tiredness resulting from other causes)\n\nProblems with walking\n\nBowel and or bladder disturbances\n\nVisual problems\n\nChanges in cognitive function, including problems with memory, attention, and problem-solving\n\nAbnormal sensations such as numbness or "pins and needles"\n\nChanges in sexual function\n\nPain\n\nDepression and/or mood swings\n\nLess common symptoms include:\n\nTremor\n\nIncoordination\n\nSpeech and swallowing problems\n\nImpaired hearing\n\nAll of these are considered primary symptoms of MS because they are a direct result of demyelination, the destruction of myelin—the fatty sheath that surrounds and insulates nerve fibers in the central nervous system—and of damage to the nerve fibers themselves. Demyelination and neuronal damage impair transmission of nerve impulses to muscles and other organs, resulting in impaired function. Many of these symptoms can be managed effectively with medication, rehabilitation, and other management strategies. \n\nIn addition to the primary symptoms caused by demyelination, there are other types of problems or complications that can occur as indirect results of the primary symptoms or the experience of having a chronic illness:\n\nSecondary symptoms of MS are complications that can arise as a result of the primary symptoms. For example, bladder dysfunction can cause repeated urinary tract infections. Inactivity can result in loss of muscle tone and disuse weakness (not related to demyelination), poor postural alignment and trunk control, decreased bone density (and resulting increased risk of fracture), and shallow, inefficient breathing. Immobility can lead to pressure sores. While secondary symptoms can be treated, the optimal goal is to avoid them by treating the primary symptoms.\n\n\nTertiary symptoms of MS are the social, vocational and emotional complications associated with the primary and secondary symptoms. The diagnosis of a chronic illness can be damaging to self-esteem and self-image. A person who becomes unable to walk or drive may lose his or her livelihood. The strain of dealing with a chronic neurologic illness may disrupt personal relationships. People with MS frequently experience emotional changes as well, but it is important to note that mood swings and depression can occur as primary, secondary, or tertiary symptoms of the disease. Professional assistance from psychologists, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, and public health agencies is indicated for managing many of these psychosocial and vocational issues.\n\nIt is important to remember that not every person with MS experiences all of these symptoms. Some people may experience only one or two of them over the course of the disease, while others experience quite a few. Symptoms can come and go quite unpredictably, and no two people experience them in exactly the same way. Most of the symptoms of MS can be effectively managed, and complications avoided, with regular care by a neurologist and allied health professionals.
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Excellent question.\n\nLupus is what is called an Autoimmune Disease.  Basically, what this means is that Lupus is a category of "conditions" wherein the person's own body - white blood cells - attack the body, and interfere with the body's "normal" functioning.\n\nThe problem with this type of "condition" - like other Autoimmune Diseases like Multiple Sclerosis - is that NO TWO PEOPLE have the same TYPE of symptoms, nor do their symptoms last the same amount of time!!\n\nThe absolute best way to learn about LUPUS and whether or not it is your own "specific" condition, or whether or not you have something similar, is to DOCUMENT ALL YOUR SYMPTOMS AND how they impact your normal daily living - both at home and work. THEN, go to the following website:  http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com \n\nThis is the ABSOLUTE best website for those who have, or want to know more about, Autoimmune Diseases (AI)!!!  It was started a little over 2 years ago by a lady who has Lupus for the rest of us with AI diseases.  It is a virtual village wherein we can find out information about our various diseases - like MS and Lupus - and general topics like life and every day living!!  I personally am the Moderator for the MS, Social Security, Work Related, and Baby Boomer Forums!!\n\nNow, my qualifications for providing you this answer:\n\n1) I've successfully managed the symptoms of MS for over 45 years.\n2) I was an HR Executive for over 30+ years, and combined my professional and personal expertise in creating a website dedicated to assisting folks with "chronic disease symptoms" better document, communicate, corroborate, and manage their symptoms and the resulting impairments to become expert patients; chronic disease self-managers; and, partner with their doctors to practice patient-centered health care.\n\nhttp://www.disabilitykey.com\n\nMy website contains tons of information in 2 blogs, downloadable free articles and self-help ebooklets, and the Disabilitykey Workbook which contains over 100 pages of how to processes and actual forms - blank and completed examples - to assist folks. This workbook is available for a very small price (under $10).\n\nSo, here are some suggestions:\n\n1) Document your symptoms and their impairments.\n\n2) Go to http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com and check out the disease-specific forums and see which one best matches your symptoms.\n\n3) Then, go to see your doctor, better prepared to partner with him/her in getting you a diagnosis not only for your "condition", but for medications and/or other suggestions for "managing" your symptoms.\n\nFinally, please feel free to contact me by clicking onto my Yahoo name and email me or im me with additional questions along your process of discovery.\n\nBest wishes.
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The two diseases are totally different.  This comes from a person who has lived with folks with each disease.\nCheck out the resource for more info on the symptoms.\n\nIt IS possible for a person to have both though.
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Symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from person to person and from time to time in the same person. For example, one person may experience abnormal fatigue, while another might have severe vision problems. A person with MS could have loss of balance and muscle coordination making walking difficult; another person with MS could have slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, and bladder problems. While some symptoms will come and go over the course of the disease, others may be more lasting.\n\n\nI hope this helps...I placed the link below for more info.
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MS is a very serious neurological disease and can not be readily diagnosed... MRI to look for lesions, Evoked Potentials to determine to what extent the demylinating disease has on the extremities. there is numbness, pain... every patient is different - that's why it is so difficult to narrow down.\n\nSymptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from person to person and from time to time in the same person. For example, one person may experience abnormal fatigue, while another might have severe vision problems. A person with MS could have loss of balance and muscle coordination making walking difficult; another person with MS could have slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, and bladder problems. While some symptoms will come and go over the course of the disease, others may be more lasting.
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MS is characterized by the loss of the myelin on the myelin sheaths that transmit nerve impulses.  It is a demyelinating disease.  Chronic inflammation of the CNS is a widespread term for anything causing inflammation of that area.  Thus anything from a slipped disc causing a spinal cord impingment and inflammation to a brain tumor could fall under the umbrella of chronic inflammation of the cns.
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I have MS, for 8 years now.\nIt's a real pain in the a.., as you already know!\nHave problems with my legs (damn, they dont listen to me like they used to..hehe) and I believe you know all about those mood swings, that can occur every now and then :)))\nOther than that, I'm one pretty optimistic gal :)
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MS is unpredictable. It varies from person to person and can result in a wide variety of symptoms, none of which are unique to MS. You may experience only a few symptoms and it is unlikely that you will develop them all. Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict what will happen during the course of anyone's MS. \n\n\n\nSymptoms range from mild to severe, from brief to persistent. Some symptoms, such as walking difficulties, are obvious to other people; others, like pain or fatigue, are not. These are often referred to as hidden, invisible or silent symptoms, and can be more difficult for people unfamiliar with MS to understand.\n\nThe more common symptoms of MS include:\n\nFatigue: an overwhelming sense of tiredness making physical or mental activity hard and, for some, impossible. \nProblems with walking, balance and coordination. \nVisual problems, including blurred or double vision, temporary loss of sight in one eye, or both. \nNumbness or tingling in the hands or feet. \nDizziness. \nPain: sometimes mild, sometimes severe. \nLoss of muscle strength and movement. \nStiffness and spasms: a tightening or involuntary movement in particular muscle groups - especially in the legs. \nAnxiety, depression or mood swings. \nCognitive problems, such as difficulty with memory and concentration. \nSpeech problems, including slurring. \nContinence issues: a lack of control over bladder or bowel functions; an increased risk of urinary infection. \nSexual problems, such as lack of libido or erectile difficulties. (Though it should be noted that MS does not affect fertility.) \n\n\nIf you think you have any of these symptoms you should consult a healthcare professional. It is important not to overlook any problems, as most symptoms can be managed well.\n\nWhilst there is no cure for MS, research continues to try and find one. Even without a cure, there are many effective treatments that can help you manage the condition. You can discuss all the treatment options and any concerns with your neurologist, MS nurse or GP. \n\nIn recent decades, there has been a shift in how we think about MS. Whilst there are still many gaps in our knowledge, we now have a much better understanding of how MS affects the central nervous system and how symptoms develop. These advances have led to new approaches in treatment.\n\nThe National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guideline may be useful to people affected by MS as it sets out good practice for treatment and management of MS. The Guideline's recomendations are based on a review of the scientific and medical evidence available. \n\n\n\nDisease modifying drugs \nThe last few years have seen the development of drugs that can affect or modify the course of your MS. Known as disease modifying drugs, they are thought to regulate the immune response by suppressing production of certain molecules involved in myelin damage and inflammation. Although not a cure, these drugs can reduce the number of relapses people experience by about 30 percent.  Steroids for relapses \nWhen you experience a relapse, your doctor may recommend a course of steroids to help speed up recovery. However, doctors only tend to recommend steroids if your relapses are disabling, painful or distressing. Although they do not alter the course of the disease, steroids can reduce the inflammation that occurs in the central nervous system during a relapse and can shorten recovery time. They are administered intravenously (through a drip into the bloodstream) or orally, as soon as possible after the onset of the relapse. The treatment period usually lasts between three and five days and can require hospitalisation. Most neurologists try to limit the number of steroid treatments prescribed to you in any one year.   Multi-disciplinary Care \nAs well as your GP and neurologist, many other specialists may be involved in your treatment. These specialists are important as part of a multi-disciplinary team, because they can help care f
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I think this may help you about Lyme Disease....by the way, your name is Tina Louise...did you play on "Gilligan's Island" as Ginger Grant? ;)\n\nSymptoms\n\n      The early symptoms of LD can be mild and easily overlooked. People who are aware of the risk of LD in their communities and who don't ignore the sometimes subtle early symptoms are most likely to seek medical attention and treatment early enough to be assured of a full recovery.\n\n      The first symptom is usually an expanding rash (called erythema migrans, or EM, in medical terms) which is thought to occur in 80% to 90% of all LD cases. An EM rash generally has the following characteristics:\n\n          o Usually (but not always) radiates from the site of the tickbite\n          o Appears either as a solid red expanding rash or blotch, OR a central spot surrounded by clear skin that is in turn ringed by an expanding red rash (looks like a bull's-eye)\n          o Appears an average of 1 to 2 weeks (range = 3 to 30 days) after disease transmission\n          o Has an average diameter of 5 to 6 inches (range = 2 inches to 2 feet)\n          o Persists for about 3 to 5 weeks\n          o May or may not be warm to the touch\n          o Is usually not painful or itchy\n\n      EM rashes appearing on brown-skinned or sun-tanned patients may be more difficult to identify because of decreased contrast between normal skin tones and the red rash. A dark, bruise-like appearance is more common on dark-skinned patients.\n\n      Ticks will attach anywhere on the body, but prefer body creases such as the armpit, groin, back of the knee, and nape of the neck; rashes will therefore often appear in (but are not restricted to) these areas. Please note that multiple rashes may, in some cases, appear elsewhere on the body some time after the initial rash, or, in a few cases, in the absence of an initial rash.\n\n      Around the time the rash appears, other symptoms such as joint pains, chills, fever, and fatigue are common, but they may not seem serious enough to require medical attention. These symptoms may be brief, only to recur as a broader spectrum of symptoms as the disease progresses.\n\n      As the LD spirochete continues disseminating through the body, a number of other symptoms including severe fatique, a stiff, aching neck, and peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement such as tingling or numbness in the extremities or facial palsy (paralysis) can occur.\n\n      The more severe, potentially debilitating symptoms of later-stage LD may occur weeks, months, or, in a few cases, years after a tick bite. These can include severe headaches, painful arthritis and swelling of joints, cardiac abnormalities, and central nervous system (CNS) involvement leading to cognitive (mental) disorders.\n\n      The following is a checklist of common symptoms seen in various stages of LD:\n\n      Localized Early (Acute) Stage:\n          o Solid red or bull's-eye rash, usually at site of bite\n          o Swelling of lymph glands near tick bite\n          o Generalized achiness\n          o Headache\n\n      Early Disseminated Stage:\n          o Two or more rashes not at site of bite\n          o Migrating pains in joints/tendons\n          o Headache\n          o Stiff, aching neck\n          o Facial palsy (facial paralysis similar to Bell's palsy)\n          o Tingling or numbness in extremities\n          o Multiple enlarged lymph glands\n          o Abnormal pulse\n          o Sore throat\n          o Changes in vision\n          o Fever of 100 to 102 F\n          o Severe fatique\n\n      Late Stage:\n          o Arthritis (pain/swelling) of one or two large joints\n          o Disabling neurological disorders (disorientation; confusion; dizziness; short-term memory loss; inability to concentrate, finish sentences or follow conversations; mental "fog")\n          o Numbness in arms/hands or legs/feet
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common signs/symptoms are episodes of DIFFERENT neurologic deficit spaced out over time (ie left body numbness followed by right facial paralysis followed by loss of vision in the left eye).  These usually resolve (at least partially) in the initial stages of the disease.  The surest diagnostic test is brain and spinal cord MRI which shows lesions in various areas corresponding to the prior episodes in various stages of recovery.  CSF will show increased protein (spinal tap), but this is not specific to MS.
158291
Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, and Lyme Disease \nby Burton Goldberg, Larry, Jr. Trivieri
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I am a dental assistant and my sister has MS.  This sounds like a MS problem not dental.
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Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline or amoxicillin. Antibiotic treatment for early Lyme disease is effective, and symptoms usually go away within 3 weeks of treatment. \n\nThe earlier antibiotic treatment is started after infection, the more quick and complete the recovery. Research indicates that if you are given a single dose of the antibiotic doxycycline within 72 hours after being bitten by an infected tick, your chances of developing Lyme disease may be reduced by up to 87%.This treatment may be especially effective for those who live in high-risk areas.\n\nIf Lyme disease is not diagnosed and treated until later problems arise, it may take you a long time to get better or you may require additional treatment.
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Lyme disease is caused by a parasite carried in deer ticks.  The disease itself is autoimmune in nature, but requires pre-infection with the bug borrelia burgdorferi.\n\nAnti-phospholipid is another autoimmune condition related mostly to lupus.  As a component of anti-phospholipid, patients generate an antibody called anti-caridiolipin which is also present in about 40% of patients with Lyme disease.  Although the two conditions have this in common, they are not the same.
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It could be Lyme disease, it mimics many autoimmune disorders.
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Good question!  There are two lines of thought- one, that it is possible to erradicate completely with high doses of antibiotics, and the other that it is not curable, but controllable.  Suffering from it myself, as well as two coinfections, I'm interested in the debate-  but meanwhile, I've found a specialist in NC who treats me with increasing levels of antibiotics.  I'm going to reccommend some excellent websites for you to bookmark and look at if you really want to read up on Lyme's-- they really helped me when I was full of questions and didn't know who to ask tht would know.  Good luck, and, from one who has been sick for sixteen years and treated now for six months, it gets so much better.  Don't despair- find a doctor who will listen and who know what they're doing. don't accept jsut a month of antibiotics and think it will be all better... find a infectious disease specialist who specializes in Lyme's, and read Dr. Burrascano's papers on the illads site.  Much luck and prayers to you- H