Can MS be mistaken for lupus?

While it's unlikely to have both MS and lupus, it's common for someone with MS to be incorrectly diagnosed with lupus because these diseases share common symptoms. Aside from lupus, MS actually has several other “mimic” conditions, including Lyme disease.

How can you tell the difference between MS and lupus?

While there are some similarities, and symptoms can overlap, MS and lupus are very different conditions. In general, a person with MS is more likely to experience neurological symptoms, such as numbness, blurred vision, and difficulty balancing. A person with lupus tends to have symptoms such as rashes and headaches.

Can you see lupus on an MRI?

In general, a brain MRI will show more lesions with MS ("black holes and bright spots") but sometimes the brain lesions found with lupus or MS can be indistinguishable.

Does MS give a positive ANA?

To diagnose either lupus or MS, you'll need lots of tests.

Diagnosis isn't simple and requires multiple tests. Both MS and lupus can cause a positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) blood test.

What autoimmune diseases are similar to MS?

Daniel Ontaneda, MD, PhD: How Multiple Sclerosis Can Be Misdiagnosed

What is MS commonly mistaken for?

Fibromyalgia and MS have some similar symptoms, including headaches, joint and muscle pain, numbness and tingling of extremities, memory problems, and fatigue. Like MS, fibromyalgia is more common in women than in men.

What can mimic MS on an MRI?

Some of the most common mimics include migraine and chronic cerebrovascular disease, according to Dr Schiess. Vasculitic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren's syndrome can also result in white matter abnormalities on MRI.

How often is ANA positive in MS?

Previous studies have reported an incidence of positive ANA in patients with MS ranging from 2 to 44% [9].

Will MS show up on ANA test?

Lupus and MS can be diagnosed simultaneously, although that is less common than being diagnosed with one disease, and then later, diagnosed with the other. An antinuclear antibody (ANA) test can help to confirm a lupus diagnosis, but other diseases, including MS, can also produce positive ANA results.

What ANA pattern is multiple sclerosis?

The antibodies that are created by the body against its own cell nuclei are called as anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), and one of the methods used for detection and pattern of ANA is indirect immunofluorescence test (IIF).

Can a neurologist diagnose lupus?

Different medical specialists (e.g. rheumatologist, neurologist, psychiatrist) and neuropsychologists can find out if your nervous system problems are related to lupus. You may need to have tests, including: Lab tests, like blood tests.

How often is lupus misdiagnosed?

A Lupus Foundation of America study of over 3,000 adults with lupus found that 46.5 percent report being misdiagnosed with something other than lupus at the start of their journey with this unpredictable and life-altering disease.

What are usually the first signs of MS?

How often is MS misdiagnosed?

The misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is a problem with significant consequences for patients as well as the healthcare system. There are nearly 1 million people in the United States living with the disease. And researchers now say nearly 20 percent of them are misdiagnosed.

How do you rule out MS?

Does MS have a speckled ANA?

Antinuclear antibody titers ranged from 8 to 32 in patients with MS and rarely reached above 8 in control subjects. The most common fluorescence patterns produced by MS serums were diffuse, fine speckled, and diffuse with fine-speckled nuclear fluorescence.

What blood tests would indicate MS?

While there is no definitive blood test for MS, blood tests can rule out other conditions that cause symptoms similar to those of MS, including lupus erythematosis, Sjogren's, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, some infections, and rare hereditary diseases.

Can a rheumatologist diagnose MS?

The type of doctor you'll see depends on which condition you have. Neurologists (doctors who specialize in the nervous system) usually diagnose and treat people with MS. Primary care doctors and rheumatologists (doctors who specialize in joints, muscles, and other tissues) typically treat people with fibromyalgia.

What does early MS look like on MRI?

How does MS appear on an MRI scan? MS activity appears on an MRI scan as either bright or dark spots. Typical MS lesions tend to be oval or frame shaped. MS lesions can appear in both the brain's white and gray matter.

Are lesions always present with MS?

Lesions are usually the most telling symptom of an MS diagnosis. According to the National MS Society, only about 5 percent of people with MS do not show lesions on MRI at the time of diagnosis. MRI uses strong magnetic and radio waves to produce detailed pictures of the brain and spinal cord.

Do brain lesions always mean MS?

Although MRI is a very useful diagnostic tool, a normal MRI of the brain does not rule out the possibility of MS. About 5 percent of people who are confirmed to have MS do not initially have brain lesions evidenced by MRI.

Does an MRI always show MS?

What we can see on an MRI scan can explain the symptoms you might be experiencing. But it doesn't always. This is because many lesions may be in areas of the brain that don't produce symptoms. And some areas of damage that could be causing symptoms might be too small to see on the scan.

What does MS pain feel like?

Neuropathic pain happens from “short circuiting” of the nerves that carry signals from the brain to the body because of damage from MS. These pain sensations feel like burning, stabbing, sharp and squeezing sensations. In MS you can experience acute neuropathic pain and chronic neuropathic pain.

What can mimic lupus symptoms?