An Explanation of the Differences Between Multiple Sclerosis Posted: 01-21-06 18:02pm
Are there any real differances in anxiety
disorders and multiple sclerosis? I
started to have lots of physical problems
that all came out of no where a year ago.
I have had almost every test known to man
, with no diagnoses made. They said it
must be anxiety, I have yet to see a
neuro, but I did have an mri on my brain
would it be normal for them to see or look
for those leisons? I have read up on ms
and see a lot of comparisons with both
diseases, my symptoms seem to favor both
diseases.Also would like xanax help ms
symptoms at all? I have tried it and it
did help mine.Thanks
Anxiety disorder(s) and multiple sclerosis
(MS) are two completely different
diseases.
Multiple sclerosis is a neurological
autoimmune disease wherein the immune
system attacks the myelin coverings of the
nerve tracts in the brain (white
substance). Lesions in the white substance
can develop at any location, so the
symptoms MS differ according to the
localization of the lesion. Lesions can be
repaired but not completely; other lesions
develop in time. That’s why some
symptoms are relieved for a while but then
other, new symptoms appear. Paralyses,
loss of balance, disordered movements,
loss of senses, dementia etc. are all
symptoms of MS. Multiple sclerosis is
chronically progressive disease with a bad
prognosis. An MRI can detect the brain
lesions in MS.
Anxiety disorders (neuroses) are
psychiatric diseases. There are many types
of neuroses: anxiety/panic, phobic
disorders, depressive, somatoform
disorders (hypochondria), conversive
disorders (hysteria)… Typically,
somatoform disorders (hypochondria) can
imitate any other organic disease.
Patients feel the symptoms of diseases;
but they are not real; the diseases only
exist in the minds of the patients.
Because your MRI is OK, it seems likely
that you are suffering from somatoform
disorder (hypochondria). Doctors
typically prescribe Xanax (alprazolam), to
treat neurotic disorders (like
hypochondria) not MS.
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