The Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute at Lakewood Hospital is pleased to welcome Alex Rae-Grant, M.D., who specializes in the care of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Dr. Rae-Grant is board-certified in neurology and plays an active role at the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center, where he oversees education on MS in Northeast Ohio while assisting with MS clinical trials. Additionally, he is actively involved with resident and student education at the Cleveland Clinic.

Patients with MS now have access to evaluations, follow-up care and treatment closer to home. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Rae-Grant, please call 216.529.7110.

Health Topic Spotlight: Multiple Sclerosis

The Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute at Lakewood Hospital provides the most advanced treatments for neurological conditions. Backed by the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic, Lakewood Hospital offers more comprehensive neurological care close to home.

Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are now being treated at Lakewood Hospital by specialists from the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center.

Multiple Sclerosis – Important Facts

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord. It is an inflammatory disorder in which infection-fighting white blood cells enter the nervous system and cause injury. MS can happen to anyone and is long-term.

Because MS varies for individuals, there is no ‘standard’ set of symptoms; however, we know that common symptoms include: numbness or tingling in various parts of the body; weakness of one or more body part; visual blurring and / or double vision; walking difficulties; fatigue and dizziness; tingling or shocks down the back, arms or legs when the individual bends his neck forward; urinary symptoms – either a hesitancy to urinate or frequency to urinate. There is no way to predict which symptoms one person may develop.

While there has been widespread research about MS for many years, there is no known cause. Females tend to get MS about three times as often as males and the disease is more common in Caucasians.

MS varies from patient to patient and each individual has her own set of symptoms and problems. Some individuals have a mild form, while others are more severe. Most people think that MS is a rapidly disabling disorder, but that is not true for most people living with MS.

There are currently six FDA-approved medications to control the course of MS; four are for relapsing patients with active disease and two are for people with more severe cases where standard therapy is not working. These medications reduce MS activity. People treated for MS are less likely to develop new attacks; have fewer MRI changes and tend not to progress as much as those not receiving treatment.

To schedule an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute at Lakewood Hospital, please call 216.529.7110.