Charity in call for improved MS diagnoses

By The Press Association27th May 2015News EnglandMultiple Sclerosis, News England

Four in five people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are misdiagnosed, with one in four told they are simply suffering a trapped nerve, a charity has warned.

The MS Society said about two-fifths (39%) are left waiting a year or more before they are diagnosed.

While 81% of sufferers it questioned had been misdiagnosed, 28% were told they had a trapped nerve, 14% had their symptoms explained as depression, anxiety or stress while around one in 10 (11%) was informed they had suffered a stroke.

One in four visited their GP more than four times before they were referred to a neurologist for further examination.

The charity said that while MS can be difficult to diagnose, delays such as these can be harmful as they prevent people from taking the necessary steps to manage their condition effectively. Evidence has shown that early treatment has long-term benefits.

There are more than 100,000 people living with the condition in the UK and 5,000 new cases are diagnosed every year.

There is no cure for MS, which affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with muscle movement, balance and vision.

It is the most common disabling neurological condition in young adults, with symptoms usually starting in the 20s and 30s, yet awareness remains low.

Its causes are complex and not completely understood, but typical early symptoms include numbness, tingling, limb weakness, lack of co-ordination, loss of sight, fatigue and bladder and bowel problems.

Of the 1,515 people questioned for the survey to mark World MS Day, the most common early symptoms were reported as being numbness and altered sensations in different parts of the body (53%), sight problems (47%) and difficulty with walking (41%).

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive at the MS Society, said: “Our findings highlight the struggle people go through for years before they get an MS diagnosis.

“Being misdiagnosed or experiencing symptoms that can’t be explained can put a considerable strain on people’s emotions and health.

“A fast, accurate diagnosis enables people to take steps to begin to manage their condition, access treatment and take greater control of their lives again.

“People often experience symptoms which interfere with daily life whilst in their prime, when families and careers are developing.

“While we are aware that MS is a complex condition that isn’t easy to diagnose, we don’t want thousands of people to be left in ‘limbo’ suffering needlessly.

“It’s important for GPs to recognise the warning signs and refer people promptly to a consultant neurologist who can then make an accurate diagnosis.

“Most people who experience MS-like symptoms won’t have the condition but if you’re concerned for any reason your GP should still be your first port of call.”

Professor Alan Thompson, consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology in London, said: “Early symptoms of MS can fluctuate and can be attributed to a number of other things, which is why awareness of the condition is so crucial – both for GPs and the general public.

“We’ve moved on so much in terms of the treatments that are available to slow the long-term damage that relapsing forms of MS cause, so a prompt and accurate diagnosis of MS can make an enormous difference.

“It is only once someone is diagnosed that they can begin to understand and manage their condition.”

Professor Maureen Baker, chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), noted that MS is incredibly difficult to diagnose in primary care as many of the symptoms are similar to those of other more common conditions.

She said: “It is also a relatively rare condition – 5,000 new cases are diagnosed every year but to put this into context, GPs make over one million patient consultations every day across the UK. Furthermore, the constraints of the standard 10-minute consultation make identification of such a complex and uncommon condition problematic at initial presentation.

“The RCGP has developed resources to support GPs and their teams – including an e-learning module in collaboration with the MS Society – to identify, diagnose and treat patients with MS as effectively as possible.”