Dr. Anna Shah, a neurologist at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, said fatigue, numbness and vision problems can occur in conditions other than MS. There is no single test that confirms the disease; clinicians consider a patient’s symptoms and medical history alongside neurological examinations and imaging.

The stakes can be significant. Many MS medications change or suppress immune activity to limit attacks on the central nervous system. Shah said those treatments can pose serious risks, including infections, for someone who does not have MS.

Colorado has one of the country’s higher rates of MS, and specialists at the Rocky Mountain MS Center at the University of Colorado are working to improve understanding of the disease and diagnostic accuracy.

For Marissa Poppens, the diagnosis came after she woke up paralyzed from the waist down in April 2015, when she was 30. An MRI showed lesions on her brain and spine, she said, and doctors diagnosed her with MS, a chronic disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system.

Poppens now uses a cane and walker and manages symptoms with several medications. She said the disease’s unpredictability means the number of medications she takes can vary. Insurance problems also left her without treatment for a year, and she eventually lost her job and much of her independence.

Shah said patients with an uncertain diagnosis should consider seeking a second opinion from a neurologist who specializes in MS, particularly before starting medication that affects the immune system. For patients facing a potentially lifelong diagnosis and treatment plan, confirming the cause of symptoms can help avoid unnecessary medical risks.