HealthCare Journey for Multiple Sclerosis
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Virtual MS Center
    • Q & A for Virtual MS Center
    • Read About Our Virtual MS Center Staff
  • News & Resources
  • Seminar Registration
  • Health & Wellness
  • Blogs
    • Physician Blog >
      • Healthcare Provider Blog
    • Physical Therapy Blog
    • Patient Blog
    • Caregiver Blog
    • Research Blogs >
      • "Ask Dr. Debbie" Research Blog
      • Multiple Perspectives In Multiple Sclerosis Research Blog
  • About MS
    • What is MS?
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
    • MS Tips
  • Symptoms
    • Balance and Walking Issues
    • Breathing/Respiratory
    • Bowel Dysfunction
    • Cognitive Dysfunction
    • Crying/Laughing Uncontrollably (PBA)
    • Depression and Anxiety
    • Dizziness/Vertigo
    • Dysphagia
    • Fatigue
    • Foot Drop
    • Hearing or Smell or Taste Changes
    • Heat Sensitivity
    • Leg Weakness
    • Loss of Hand Dexterity and Coordination
    • Memory and Mutliple Sclerosis
    • Migraines
    • Numbness/Tingling/Altered Sensation
    • Nystagmus and Oscillopsia
    • Pain
    • Sexual Dysfunction
    • Sleep Issues
    • Spasticity/Spasms/Cramps
    • Speech/Swallowing
    • Urination/Bowel Problems
    • Vision
  • MS Clinics
  • MS Topics
    • Pregnancy and Infertility
    • Caregivers and Family Members
    • Employment and MS
    • Medical Costs and Insurance
    • Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis
  • Register With Us
  • Terms of Use/Privacy/HIPAA
  • MS HealthCare Journey

Welcome to the Virtual MS Center!

Ask any question you want about Multiple Sclerosis and one of our experts will answer it as soon as possible.
CLICK HERE TO ASK YOUR QUESTION!

Can I regain mobility?

10/31/2022

0 Comments

 
Here is My Question:
Can I regain mobility? I am completely paralyzed due to MS

Answer:
The ability to recover useful movement in the legs depends on the duration of paralysis, the cause of paralysis and the extent of irreversible damage to the spinal cord. Without further information and an evaluation, it is difficult to answer your question with more precision. This is a question your neurologist should be able to answer for you.
Good luck

Revere P (Rip) Kinkel, MD
Professor of Clinical Neurosciences
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Clinical Neurosciences Director
University of California San Diego

0 Comments

Every time I inject Copaxone in my left side I experience left groin pain immediately. Is this normal?

10/31/2022

0 Comments

 
Here is My Question:
Every time I inject Copaxone in my left side I experience left groin pain immediately. Is this normal?

Answer:
If you are injecting in the lower abdomen (below the bellybutton) this may cause swelling in the superficial inguinal (groin) lymph nodes, which may be painful. Injecting into the upper left leg could potentially do this as well, but typically this region drains into the deep lymph nodes; I wouldn't think these deeper lymph nodes would be as painful, but this is possible. 

I am not sure of a solution except to inject higher in the abdomen or in the arm

Good luck

Revere P (Rip) Kinkel, MDProfessor of Clinical Neurosciences
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Clinical Neurosciences Director
University of California San Diego

0 Comments

Do I need to notify my life insurance company of my new diagnosis of MS?

10/31/2022

0 Comments

 
Here is My Question:
Unorthodox question here... Do I need to notify my life insurance company of my new diagnosis of MS? The internet is great at giving contradicting information.

Answer:

If you already have an insurance policy, there is no need to notify anyone. This would only be relevant if applying for insurance coverage.

Revere P (Rip) Kinkel, MDProfessor of Clinical Neurosciences
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Clinical Neurosciences Director
University of California San Diego​
#msdiagnosis #multiplesclerosis
0 Comments

Will my Fingers get better?

10/31/2022

0 Comments

 
Here is My Question:
I was had my first clinical symptoms in 2010 had an MRI with active lesions. The symptoms were tingling in the left side of my body, took 5g cortisone the symptoms almost fully subsided. In 2012 i had blurred visions and the diagnosis of MS was affirmed. I started Gilenya and after that my MRI has always been almost stable with little new non-active lesions. The problem is that I have a neurological deficit in the tips of my left fingers and I don't know if they could ever improve or not. I do have cervical lesions.

Answer:

Thank you for the detailed description of your problem. When you state that, "you have a  neurological deficit in the tips of [your] left fingers", I assume you are describing numbness or a loss of discriminative sensation. Some people describe the fingertips feeling larger or the skin as being thicker. If the "neurological deficit" involves all of the finger of your left hand, it is almost certainly related to the spinal cord lesion mentioned in your message. If the deficit involves a more restricted pattern, the cause could be something as simple as carpal tunnel syndrome (thumb and index finger and possibly middle finger) or an ulnar neuropathy (ring finger and little finger), both treatable conditions. If you have this kind of restricted pattern of involvement in your left hand, you need to be evaluated for these non-MS related causes.

Let's assume for the purposes of your question that the cause of these symptoms is your MS. Whether this symptom can improve depends on the duration of the symptoms and the extent of damage to the involved region in the spinal cord. Generally speaking, persistent symptoms present for more than 6 months rarely resolve, although they may evolve and become either less or more noticeable; by less noticeable we usually mean more intermittent, less prone to worsening or simply a symptom that you are able to suppress and ignore; by more noticeable we are usually describing abnormal sensations that evolve to develop painful characteristics such as burning, deep aching or stabbing discomfort. If and when people develop symptoms with these painful characteristics, we often offer them treatment with medications (e.g. gabapentin, pregabalin and others) to help block the painful characteristics.

Hope this helps.

Revere P (Rip) Kinkel, MDProfessor of Clinical Neurosciences
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Clinical Neurosciences Director
University of California San Diego
#multiplesclerosis
0 Comments

What is peripheral white matter of both cerebral hemispheres?

10/31/2022

0 Comments

 
Here is My Question:
What is peripheral white matter of both cerebral hemispheres?

"Peripheral white matter" is an inappropriate term. Whoever used the term was either referring to the subcortical white matter or the leukocortical (also called juxtacortical) white matter. We generally use the term leukocortical or juxtacortical when the U fibers are involved, whereas subcortical white matter excludes the U fibers. U fibers are the white matter tracts immediately adjacent to the cortex that supply white connections between one area of the cortex and an adjacent area of the cortex.

Revere P (Rip) Kinkel, MDProfessor of Clinical Neurosciences
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Clinical Neurosciences Director
University of California San Diego
#multiplesclerosis #peripheralwhitematter
0 Comments

Why is my eosinophil count so high?

10/1/2022

0 Comments

 
Here is My Question:
My eosinophil count has been high for the last 2 years. I just got it tested Friday and it’s 767. Why is it consistently to high?

Answer:

Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell named for the intense pink staining of their cytoplasmic granules that stain strongly with the acid loving dye eosin. They are commonly associated with allergic responses, atopic conditions (asthma and eczema), parasitic infections, some inflammatory conditions and certain cancers. In medicine we often see a temporary increase in eosinophils associated with an allergic reaction to a drug which subsides after the drug is discontinued.

You have a mild and apparently chronic elevation in your eosinophil count. This is usually not a serious issue but one that should be evaluated to determine a likely explanation. A full evaluation in most cases only requires a complete medical history, examination and some basic tests.

Good luck

Revere P (Rip) Kinkel, MDProfessor of Clinical Neurosciences
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Clinical Neurosciences Director
University of California San Diego​
0 Comments

Does Ocrevus contribute to weight loss?

10/1/2022

0 Comments

 
Here is My Question:
Does Ocrevus contribute to weight loss?

Answer:
Ocrevus should have no affect on weight (either loss or gain).

Revere P (Rip) Kinkel, MDProfessor of Clinical Neurosciences
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Clinical Neurosciences Director
University of California San Diego
#Ocrevus
​#multiplsclerosis


0 Comments

    RSS Feed

    PLEASE NOTE: This information/opinions on this site should be used as an information source only.  This information does not create any patient-HCP relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.
    Read About Our Virtual MS Center Authors

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All
    Accessible Housing And Environmental Modifications
    Anxiety
    Balance
    Bowel Problems
    Caregivers
    Cognitive Function
    Compliance
    David Rintell Ed. D.
    Deborah Backus Blogs
    Depression
    Diagnosis
    Diet
    Dizziness
    Dosing
    Dr. Greenberg's Q&A
    Dr. Kinkel's Q&A
    Dr. Miravalle's Q&A
    Dr. Nielsen's Q&A
    Dr. Osborne's Q&A
    Exercise
    Experimental Treatments
    Eye Surgery
    Fatigue
    Fatique
    Flu Shot
    Foot Drop
    Herbs
    Immunosuppression
    JCV
    Lasik Surgery
    Lesions
    Lori Kostich's Q&A
    Lyme Disease
    Medications
    Migraines
    Mobility
    MRI
    MS Hug
    Other Diseases
    Pain
    PML
    PPMS
    Pregnancy
    Relapse
    Safety
    Sarah Wargo's Q&A
    Sexual Dysfunction
    Side Effects
    Smoking
    Spasticity
    Stem Cell Transplantation
    Steroids
    Stress
    Supplements
    Surgery
    Symptoms
    Treatment
    Urination
    Viruses
    Vision
    Vitamin D
    Vitamins
    Weakness


© 2022 HealthCare Journey, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
HealthCare Journey™ is a trademark of HealthCare Journey, LLC
Picture
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Virtual MS Center
    • Q & A for Virtual MS Center
    • Read About Our Virtual MS Center Staff
  • News & Resources
  • Seminar Registration
  • Health & Wellness
  • Blogs
    • Physician Blog >
      • Healthcare Provider Blog
    • Physical Therapy Blog
    • Patient Blog
    • Caregiver Blog
    • Research Blogs >
      • "Ask Dr. Debbie" Research Blog
      • Multiple Perspectives In Multiple Sclerosis Research Blog
  • About MS
    • What is MS?
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
    • MS Tips
  • Symptoms
    • Balance and Walking Issues
    • Breathing/Respiratory
    • Bowel Dysfunction
    • Cognitive Dysfunction
    • Crying/Laughing Uncontrollably (PBA)
    • Depression and Anxiety
    • Dizziness/Vertigo
    • Dysphagia
    • Fatigue
    • Foot Drop
    • Hearing or Smell or Taste Changes
    • Heat Sensitivity
    • Leg Weakness
    • Loss of Hand Dexterity and Coordination
    • Memory and Mutliple Sclerosis
    • Migraines
    • Numbness/Tingling/Altered Sensation
    • Nystagmus and Oscillopsia
    • Pain
    • Sexual Dysfunction
    • Sleep Issues
    • Spasticity/Spasms/Cramps
    • Speech/Swallowing
    • Urination/Bowel Problems
    • Vision
  • MS Clinics
  • MS Topics
    • Pregnancy and Infertility
    • Caregivers and Family Members
    • Employment and MS
    • Medical Costs and Insurance
    • Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis
  • Register With Us
  • Terms of Use/Privacy/HIPAA
  • MS HealthCare Journey