Noran Neurology Multiple Sclerosis Center

When you're diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), you may feel disoriented at first-struggling with anxiety and sadness, fear and anger, even denial. It can be a difficult time, calling upon all your resources. Yet there is every reason to feel hopeful. By teaming up with the Noran Neurology MS Center, you, your doctor, and your family can take charge of your illness with a sense of optimism and confidence.

Defining Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease of the nervous system and the most commonly diagnosed neurological disease among adults 20 to 50 years of age. There are several types of MS and most begin with a relapsing remitting disease. This means that the symptoms come and go, usually leaving the person feeling normal until another relapse, or MS attack, occurs. New attacks occur at irregular intervals. Symptoms associated with relapses usually develop over a period of hours to days. These symptoms can last for a matter of days or weeks and then go away, sometimes without any treatment. Common symptoms include:

• Vision loss
• Numbness or tingling
• Weakness or fatigue
• Unsteadiness in walking
• Double vision
• Heat intolerance
• Partial or complete paralysis
• Electric shock sensations when bending the neck

Because symptoms of MS vary widely among individuals, personalized care is especially important.

Comprehensive Care
At the Noran Neurology MS Center, we recognize the unpredictable nature of MS and its physical, as well as social and psychological challenges. To support you, our team provides a holistic approach including comprehensive evaluation, management, and treatment. Comprehensive care is supplemented and supported through a network of high-quality community resources. This combination helps you stay on top of all the latest developments. As a result, you’ll succeed in managing your MS more skillfully.

Our MS Center Team
Our MS center team includes board-certified neurologists, radiologists, neuropsychologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other support staff to help evaluate and monitor your condition. The goal is always to work with you and your doctor to design a personalized care plan that really meets your needs.

Advanced Diagnostics
Our approach includes an exclusive MRI testing protocol for MS that assures unprecedented accuracy of brain scans, along with the most detailed mapping and reporting. Better testing leads to better treatment decisions, so you can act earlier, fight harder and feel better. We also provide comprehensive patient information packets, education, and referrals to other resources outside the clinic, as needed. These resources may include outside medical specialists such as ophthalmologists, speech therapists, urologists, psychotherapists, and others.

Treatment
Since the mid 90s a number of new treatments have been approved for treating MS. Treating MS focuses mainly on slowing the progression of the disease as well as addressing health issues related to MS. Related issues may include depression, fatigue, urinary problems and others.

The treatment chosen is tailored to the stage of disease as well as the patient's unique needs, which includes medication tolerability. In addition to injected medications such as Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone and Rebif, infused medications such as Tysabri and Solumedrol are available at the three convenient Noran Clinic Infusion Centers.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society

The Noran Neurology MS Center recommends that everyone with MS contact the MS Society. The Minnesota Chapter is a valuable resource for people with MS and their families. Support groups, exercise programs, educational seminars, financial aid, and MS research are just a few of the many programs that the Minnesota Chapter offers.

Contact the Multiple Sclerosis Society by calling 800.344.4867.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society
National Multiple Sclerosis Society - Minnesota Chapter

To schedule an appointment at the Multiple Sclerosis Center,
please call 612.879.1500.

Noran Neurology MS Center brochure (printable PDF)

Subspecialists in Multiple Sclerosis

Shelly L. Larson-Peters, MD