A neurological exam is an important part of monitoring one’s condition and adjusting a multiple sclerosis care plan to fit the patient’s needs. When treating MS, your care team must be able to understand the ongoing health of your nervous system, as MS causes the immune system to attack it. When myelin cells — the protective covers around the brain and spinal cord nerves — are attacked by the immune system; routine functions like vision, sensation and movement can become interrupted. When performing a neurological exam, your care team is looking for signs of this damage.
What Does EDSS Look For?
At MCMS, we perform a modified version of EDSS (Expanded Disability Status Scale). This test is administered every 6 months to ensure that your medications, or disease modifying therapies (DMTs), are working to prevent nerve damage and the progression of MS.
Besides walking or ambulation, the EDSS measures 7 other functional systems that include:
1: Visual
2: Brainstem
3: Pyramidal
4: Cerebellar
5: Sensory
6: Bowel and Bladder
7: Cerebral
EDSS examines common areas for signs of nerve damage, including muscle weakness or stiffness, balance and coordination, eye movement and vision impairment, mental function and memory, sensations or numbness, and bowel regulation. Other functions may also be analyzed as well to locate potential trouble areas.
While testing may require something as strange as having the bottom of one’s foot scratched, these tests are never done without reason. In fact, that example is testing for a reaction called the Babinski reflex, which is linked to the pyramidal functional system.
What Is an EDSS Score?
The Extended Disability Statues Scale (EDSS) was developed by Dr. John F. Kurtzke in 1983 to help measure the severity of disability in people with multiple sclerosis. The scale functions in a range from 0 to 10, with 0 meaning normal results and 10 translating to fatal nerve damage due to MS. The score goes up and down by a half point, with each score indicating different levels of nerve damage.
A score between 1-4.0 indicates that one’s mobility is not presently restricted, and disability in function is generally lower and manageable. As EDSS scores increase, the walking ability starts to decrease. With a score of 7.0, a patient would be restricted to a wheelchair with significant need for mobility aid.
EDSS & MRI
As medical advances have progressed, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to examine visual interpretations of the brain and spinal cord. MRI is especially useful in locating lesions that may indicate damage to the myelin sheath around the nervous system. Though MRI is incredibly useful in diagnostic testing, the EDSS has remained the gold standard in assessing spinal cord abnormalities in people with MS.
Patient Empowerment Through Understanding
At MCMS, we prioritize your comfort throughout all processes of treatment, from testing to DMT administration. If you have questions regarding EDSS and other routine examinations, our care team is here to help explain every step of the way. Ask your care provider if you have questions about your examinations for more information on how your multiple sclerosis is monitored.
Our Locations
Minnesota Center for MS
652 Bielenberg Dr., Suite 101
Woodbury, MN 55125
Minnesota Center for MS
15655 37th Ave N, Suite 260
Plymouth, MN 55446
Contact Us: Call us at (763) 344-4770 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.
If you are feeling stressed about diagnostic testing or routine examinations, please reach out to our team! Let’s create an environment of learning and understanding that helps you on your medical journey.
With you in hope and in care,
Your MCMS Team
