Re: Infection and Optic Neuritis?

Posted By CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS on December 14, 1998 at 08:47:50:

In Reply to: Re: Infection and Optic Neuritis? posted by Yes it could on December 11, 1998 at 00:54:38:






3 years ago I was diagnosed with optic neuritis. The loss of vision, which has not improved, occured in my right eye.  For a number of weeks immediatly preceeding the onset of ON, I suffered with a very severe, and admittedly tooth infection. I finally did seek dental treatment, but not before my right cheek was swollen to the size of a baseball and the pain was unbearable.  Since then I have not developed any other MS related symptoms.  Could the ON have been caused or related to the tooth infection?
Thank You.  
Actually, if the ON was in place, but not active, before the tooth problem,
an infection anywhere in your body can cause a flare of symptoms, if they
are related to MS. I had the flu recently, & some of my MS symptoms went
nuts for a couple wks. This is fairly common, really.  
Dear "Yes it could be"
Sorry to hear about your optic neuritis.  I really don't think that your tooth infection caused your optic neuritis.  If it did, you would have had an infection in the area of the optic nerve, and you would have known about it.  There is a possibility that the infection could have played a part in the optic neuritis, by lowering your immune system functioning.  However, the most likely situation is that you had optic neuritis and a tooth infection.  The tooth infection might have made it worse or prolonged the attack, but again it is doubtful that it cause the neuritis.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS