Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s Multiple Sclerosis Clinic provides a full array of services. Multiple Sclerosis can be unpredictable and requires different types of medical expertise. Our team has extensive experience with the disease so we can help patients and their families manage both the acute and long-term effects of Multiple Sclerosis. Patients can ask questions and get well-informed answers in an environment that is friendly and supportive.
Our collaborative approach allows us to work together to design the best plan of care for a patient. An added benefit of our Clinic is that patients can receive all of their care in one place, eliminating the need to visit specialists in scattered locations.
About MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system. MS is an unpredictable condition. Some people with the disease might only notice mild effects, while others might lose the ability to speak, walk, or write as the condition disrupts communication between the brain and other areas of the body.
In MS, the immune system attacks various sites in the brain and spinal cord where nerve fibers are insulated from each other by a substance called myelin. The immune system causes inflammation of and damage to myelin sheaths, which slows down or blocks messages between the brain and body. This leads to the symptoms of MS.
When a person with MS experiences a lessening of these inflammatory reactions, there usually is a scar (sclerosis) left behind as evidence of the healing process. The pattern of multiple scars are the root of the disease’s name.
Symptoms
The symptoms of MS you experience are related to the part of your nervous system that is inflamed as a result of the disease. Because the nervous system is involved in so many of the body’s functions, MS can lead to a number of symptoms, such as:
- Bowel/bladder issues, such as an urgent need to go to the bathroom, greater frequency, incontinence, retention, or constipation
- Movement problems, including weakness, clumsiness, tremors, spasms, and paralysis
- Sensory issues, including loss of ability to sense vibration, temperature, pain, touch, or position; loss of joint sensation; dizziness; numbness; irritating sensations; or tingling/electrical sensations
- Slurred speech
- Visual issues, including jerky eyes, double vision, loss of color vision, blurred/dimmed vision, and blindness
Many people who have MS experience remissions, flare-ups, and improvements throughout the course of their disease. Scattered areas of their nervous systems may experience inflammation, which can lead to varying symptoms.
Testing, treatment, and management
MS is the most common chronic disabling disease of young adults. Our goal is to help you reach maximum independence through:
- Healthy lifestyle adjustments
- Medication
- Rehabilitative treatments
- Clinical trials
- About this condition and current research
- Diagnostic tests we use
Our Philosophy
Uncertainties are a common part of life for someone with MS:
- How will this affect my family and my job?
- Is the diagnosis correct?
- What do I do if I have a relapse?
- What medications should I take, and how will they help?
- What will my treatment be like?
- Why me?
The best way to avoid frustration is to acknowledge that these and many other uncertainties exist as part of your disease. We’re here to address your concerns and provide the care and support you need during your journey with MS.
About our team
The doctors on our clinic team include:
- Marybeth Toran, MD, Director
- David A. Jones, MD, Dermatology
- Jeffrey S. Lamont, MD, Urology
- Marc A. Leibole, MD, Ophthalmology
- John P. Long, MD, Urology
Our collaborative approach allows for the best plan of care for each patient by bringing together experts from multiple specialties, such as:
- Neurologists
- Nurses
- Occupational therapists
- Physical therapists
- Social workers
- Urologists
- Professionals from other specialties
We work closely with your primary care doctor, as well as other specialists and medical centers when necessary. After each MS Clinic visit, you’ll receive a mailed summary of your care and our proposed treatment plan.
Our hospital is a member of the Mass General Brigham System, which allows us to coordinate the care our patients receive at other Mass General Brigham-affiliated hospitals. We can also enroll our patients in some studies or programs these hospitals conduct.