Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association

Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association	Additional Information
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The Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association would like to thank Dr Stuart Neilson and Dr Frank Clifford Rose for permission to use the following extracts from their book. “Motor Neurone Disease” At Your Fingertips Guide”. Class Publishing (London) Ltd 2003 ISBN: 859590470 How long does diagnosis take? Who is at greatest risk of developing MND? What are the symptoms and how fast does MND progress? Are other members of my family likely to get MND too? Are there any drugs for treating MND? What are Stem Cells? Is it safe for me to continue regular exercise? How long does diagnosis take? MND is a condition where almost every clinical symptom is common to at least one other condition – such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, some rare cancers of the brain and spinal cord , as well as a number of rare conditions causing compression or damage to the spinal cord. Since any particular pattern of symptoms may not exclude all of these conditions, investigations do not always lead to a confident and definite diagnosis. With fewer and milder symptoms, observation may be required to see whether these symptoms worsen appreciably over time. With such a serious diagnosis as MND, no stone should be unturned to exclude other conditions and this process can take time with some uncertainty for many months. The diagnosis will be certain only when either additional symptoms appear or existing symptoms increase in severity. This can take a great deal of time, even years in some cases, before the diagnosis is definitely MND or definitely excludes MND. It can be very helpful to record, in a diary or elsewhere, dates when any symptom is first noticed, so that the onset of each is accurately noted for the next medical appointment.
Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association, 76 Firhill Road,, Glasgow, G20 7BA, Tel: 0141 945 1077, Fax: 0141 945 2578, email: The Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association is a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland, number 217735. It is registered as a Scottish Charity with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), SCO 02662.

The Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association would like to thank Dr Stuart Neilson and Dr Frank Clifford Rose for permission to use the following extracts from their book. “Motor Neurone Disease” At Your Fingertips Guide”. Class Publishing (London) Ltd 2003 ISBN: 859590470

How long does diagnosis take?

MND is a condition where almost every clinical symptom is common to at least one other condition – such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, some rare cancers of the brain and spinal cord , as well as a number of rare conditions causing compression or damage to the spinal cord. Since any particular pattern of symptoms may not exclude all of these conditions, investigations do not always lead to a confident and definite diagnosis. With fewer and milder symptoms, observation may be required to see whether these symptoms worsen appreciably over time. With such a serious diagnosis as MND, no stone should be unturned to exclude other conditions and this process can take time with some uncertainty for many months.

The diagnosis will be certain only when either additional symptoms appear or existing symptoms increase in severity. This can take a great deal of time, even years in some cases, before the diagnosis is definitely MND or definitely excludes MND. It can be very helpful to record, in a diary or elsewhere, dates when any symptom is first noticed, so that the onset of each is accurately noted for the next medical appointment.