Hi. This is my first post. I’m just after a little advice I have recently been diagnosed with TN and have been Referred to a neurologist who I am guessing will order an MRI. I am wondering if this MRI would show MS if its there? Or does it have to be looked for specifically i.e different area and would I need to ask them to look for MS. I only ask as I believe there is a chance I may have MS. Symptoms include TN, Vision problems, tingling in feet, arms, hands and face. Numbness in feet, hands, face and head particularly in the morning. Dizzyness, loss of balance etc. All the symptoms come and go some are reletivly new and some have been going on for years. I also have crohns and Ankylosing Spondylitis which I believe some studies show maybe linked. Thanks in advance for any help.
Hello
When you see the neurologist, s/he will take a full medical history from you, including any symptoms that may have a neurological cause.
They should also do a physical exam, which will include reflexes, balance, sensory deficits, checking what your eyes do when following the doctor’s finger and a whole load of other tests.
Thereafter the neurologist will refer you for specific tests as needed. This may include MRI. You wouldn’t normally suggest that a neurologist look specifically for a given diagnosis / disease. In general, neurologists look at your symptoms, history and physical reactions and arrange for other tests to enable them to make a correct diagnosis. They don’t start with a diagnosis and choose tests in order to rule that diagnosis in or out.
There are definite connections between all the autoimmune disorders. Having one AI disease makes it slightly more likely that you’ll have another. But that doesn’t mean you will certainly have MS because you appear to have some of the symptoms. You should keep in mind that MS has such a wide variety of symptoms that it shares symptoms with many other diagnoses.
Best of luck
Sue
Hi Ssssue it’s just that everything I have read online (I know Dr Google is notoriously unreliable) advises that the next step in a diagnoses of TN would be a MRI to confirm. But I see what you mean about not specifically asking the neurologists to look for something. But and im sure i am preaching to the choir here after a 3 year wait for a crohns dlagnosis, 12 years for an AS dignosis and I had my first TN attack 14 I was diagnosed last week I am 45 with no teeth due to needless extractions. Sometimes doctors need a push in the right direction. I’m realy sorry if this reply comes across as rude and it realy isnt aimed at you.I’m just worried frustrated and scared for the future. I know you are only trying to help and giving the facts. Thank you for your reply and sorry im just a bit all over the place at the moment.
Don’t worry Si, I’m tolerant of grumpiness about delays in diagnosis. It’s utterly infuriating, and what you want is to zoom past go without stopping to wait for the doctor to decide which tests are relevant, then get reported on, then give them time to rub their chin, adjust their glasses and finally, finally make a decision!!
Sue
Thanks Sue was having a bad night. 
all the best to you. Hope everything is going well. Happy new year.
Hi, this is my first post. I have been having symptoms over the past 3 years, twice been hospitalized for suspected stroke because of severity of headpains which may or may not be connected.nerve pains in my right leg, burning, shivering sensations when I stand to do anything, nasty pain in my right arm which then leads on to tingling and weaknesses from top to fingers. Facial numbness and shooting pains up my cheeks which feels like severe toothache. I also had a strange sensation when I was in the shower last week, it felt as though a band was tightening around the bottom of my ribs for a few minutes but the feeling of bruising lasted a day or two. And brain fog… awful,awful. Anyway, my gp has done bloods and ct scan, all of which are clear, he has now referred me to a neurologist here in the northeast, we are lucky enough to have a small private health policy which means I have been given the choice of who to see…help please, does anyone have any experience of neurologists in the Northeast?
Hello
You’ve joined in an existing post that was originally about a different subject. You will probably find more relevant answers to your post if you start a New Thread (see the box just above the thread titles?) Give your new thread a relevant title and you may get someone steer you in the right direction.
Best of luck.
Sue