Episode 364: Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of MS with Dr. Leorah Freeman

Getting an MS diagnosis is not always the quick, straightforward process we'd like it to be. For some people, the process can drag on for years. But getting that diagnosis only happens when you and your primary care physician recognize that something's going on. It might be a sudden vision issue. Maybe it's unexplained tingling in an arm or leg. Or maybe it's something more acute that gets your attention. A wide variety of signs could point to MS, but they could also point to other health conditions.  Dr. Leorah Freeman, Director of the Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Center at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, joins me this week to help us better understand the signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Just as COVID-19 viral activity is increasing across the United States, we're sharing the results of a study that should put your mind at ease and motivate you to get that COVID-19 booster vaccination when it becomes available next month. We'll tell you about a Phase 1 clinical trial that's getting underway for a novel cell therapy that may be effective in stopping MS. You'll hear about a grant from the National Institutes of Health that will fund a study on the fear of falling among people with MS. The 16th annual Burgers to Beat MS fundraising event is taking place on August 22nd at A&W locations across Canada. We'll give you the details on how you can participate -- whether you happen to be in Canada or not! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Understanding the signs and symptoms of MS  :22 Study results show no increase in the risk of an MS relapse after COVID-19 vaccination booster  1:43 Phase 1 clinical trial of a novel cell-based therapy for MS is underway  4:12 NIH grant to investigate the fear of falling among people with MS  7:13 Burgers to Beat MS is happening at A&W locations across Canada on August 22nd!  9:28 Dr. Leorah Freeman discusses the sometimes confusing signs and symptoms of MS  11:09 Share this episode  28:36 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  28:56 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/364 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com STUDY: Risk of Relapse After COVID-19 Vaccination Among Patients with Multiple Sclerosis in France https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000209662 Burgers to Beat MS https://burgerstobeatms.ca Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200 Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 364 Guest: Dr. Leorah Freeman Privacy Policy