We thank you for your questions about multiple sclerosis and myalgic encephalopathy (ME).
Both of these conditions can be very difficult to diagnose by clinicians. In this instance we have to refer you back to your general practitioner. Your general practitioner will have to refer you to a neurologist for a positive diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Myalgic encephalopathy is also an extremely difficult condition to diagnose. There are specific consultants within the United Kingdom who can be contacted for a very sympathetic response to your symptoms and help diagnose ME.
Multiple sclerosis is a condition in which the myelin sheath around nerves becomes damaged causing a wide range of symptoms. It is this damage to the myelin sheath which typically results in symptoms such as fatigue, vision disturbances and problems with movement. There are around 100,000 people in the United Kingdom with multiple sclerosis and there are different clinical presentations of multiple sclerosis.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a condition which is characterised by the symptoms of extreme fatigue, muscle and joint pain, cognitive impairment and sleep disturbance. These symptoms are not relieved by sleep. There is no known cause for ME and the management of the symptoms can be frustrating for clinicians and people managing the disabling effects of this condition. The ME association offers much needed support and guidance to individuals who have to manage this condition on a long-term basis. ME is also commonly referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome by clinicians and in the scientific literature.
Answered by the Health at Hand nurses
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