Alexander Rae-Grant, MD
Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute at Lakewood Hospital


Q: My sister was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and I am looking for some information regarding this disease. What is it? What are symptoms and how is it treated?

A: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord. It is an inflammatory disorder in which infection-fighting white blood cells enter the nervous system and cause injury. MS can happen to anyone and is long-term.

Because MS varies for individuals, there is no ‘standard’ set of symptoms; however, we know that common symptoms include: numbness or tingling in various parts of the body; weakness of one or more body part; visual blurring and/or double vision; walking difficulties; fatigue and dizziness; tingling or shocks down the back, arms or legs when the individual bends his neck forward; urinary symptoms – either a hesitancy to urinate or frequency to urinate. There is no way to predict which symptoms one person may develop.

While there has been widespread research about MS for many years, there is no known cause. Approximately 350,000 people in the U.S. have MS, which is about 1 in 1,000 people. Females tend to get MS about three times as often as males and the disease is more common in Caucasians.

MS varies from patient to patient and each individual has her own set of symptoms and problems. Some individuals have a mild form, while others are more severe. Most people think that MS is a rapidly disabling disorder, but that is not true for most people living with MS.

There are currently six FDA approved medications to control the course of MS; four are for relapsing patients with active disease and two are for people with more severe cases where standard therapy is not working. These medications reduce MS activity. People treated for MS are less likely to develop new attacks; have fewer MRI changes and tend not to progress as much as those not receiving treatment.

Dr. Alexander Rae-Grant is a Cleveland Clinic neurologist and sees patients with MS at the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute at Lakewood Hospital. At the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center, he oversees MS education and assists with MS clinical trials.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Rae-Grant at the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute at Lakewood Hospital, please call 216.529.7110.