Lyme Disease and Multiple Sclerosis are similar in these ways:

• Some of the similar symptoms of both diseases can include: Numbness or pain in the arms and legs, shaking or twitching, headaches, visual problems, depression, cognitive issues such as slurring of speech, memory problems, trouble speaking or recalling words.
  
  
• Both Multiple Sclerosis and Lyme Disease are diseases of the central nervous system.
  
  
• Both diseases can produce MRI's marked by sclerotic plaques and both diseases involve vascular inflammation within the central nervous system.
  
  
• In the advanced stages of Lyme, it launches an autoimmune attack on the myelin sheath and thereby looks a lot like MS.

To find out more about Lyme Disease and MS take a look at this abstract entitled, "Geo-Statistical Analysis of Possible Spirochetal Involvement in Multiple Sclerosis" by Megan M. Blewett, and Margaret Kilduff.    

For a huge listing of medical abstracts about the connection between Lyme Disease and MS please visit this Lyme Disease site.  

Fibromyalgia:  Fibromyalgia is considered by some to be a syndrome and not a disease.  The CDC or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define Fibromyalgia as:  "A group of common rheumatoid disorders (not involving the joints) characterized by achy pain, tenderness, and stiffness of muscles." 

Here are some similarities between MS and fibromyalgia:

• Both Fibromyalgia and MS are considered chronic and to be caused by autoimmune issues.
  
  
• Both MS and Fibromyalgia can cause stiffness in extremities, extreme acute fatigue, dizziness, muscle weakness, and depression.
  
  
• There is no known cure for either Fibromyalgia or Multiple Sclerosis.
  
  
• The course of both MS and Fibromyalgia can include periods of remission.

You can find out more about Fibromyalgia on Health Central's Chronic Pain site.  

There are so many symptoms associated with Multiple Sclerosis; it is no wonder that some of these symptoms overlap with other diseases, disorders, and medical conditions.  If you want to see a full list of alternative diagnoses just follow this link. 

How about you?  Have you been diagnosed with any of these MS mimics?  If you are still in limbo, what diseases and conditions have your doctors ruled out in searching for a cause for your symptoms?  Tell us your story.  You just may help someone else in the process.