Diagnosing MS can be a journey — sometimes a long one. There's no single test that confirms it on its own. Instead, doctors look for evidence of all three of the following:
- Damage in at least two separate areas of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord, or optic nerves)
- Signs that this damage happened at Show Full Answer
Diagnosing MS can be a journey — sometimes a long one. There's no single test that confirms it on its own. Instead, doctors look for evidence of all three of the following:
- Damage in at least two separate areas of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord, or optic nerves)
- Signs that this damage happened at different points in time
- Other possible conditions have been ruled out To build that picture, doctors use a combination of tests and evaluations:
- Medical history — Your neurologist will ask about your symptoms, how long you've had them, family history, and any possible exposures to toxins or infections
- Neurological exam — Tests your strength, coordination, reflexes, and senses to look for signs of nerve damage
- MRI scan — One of the most useful tools, it can show lesions (areas of damage) in the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves
- Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) — Analyzes the fluid around the spinal cord for signs of immune system activity
- Evoked potential tests — Measures how quickly and accurately your nerves respond to stimulation
- Blood tests — Used mainly to rule out other conditions that can look like MS Doctors follow guidelines called the McDonald Criteria to help make the diagnosis. The 2024 updates to these criteria now include MRI findings and certain proteins found in spinal fluid to help identify MS more quickly and accurately.
It's worth knowing that MS testing can sometimes return normal or inconclusive results, which may lead to more tests. That can feel frustrating, but it's a normal part of the process.
August 14
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