Treating multiple sclerosis

Treatments for relapses (steroids): If your symptoms are caused by a relapse, you may get a steroid treatment in order to speed up the recovery process. This treatment can take several days and be given orally or by injection. The steroids aim to control your immune system, so it cannot attack the myelin. Although the steroids can better the chances for recovery, it cannot prevent damages from the relapse nor can it prevent future relapses.

Treatments for specific symptoms: There are many different symptoms in MS and just as many treatments to relieve each specific symptom, such as; Vision problems, muscle spasms and spasticity, neuropathic pain, musculoskeletal pain, mobility problems, cognitive problems (thought and memory), emotional problems, fatigue and tiredness, bladder problems and bowel problems.

Treatments due to the number of relapses (disease-modifying medicines): These are ongoing treatments that decrease the number of relapses and work to slow down the progression of the disease. They also reduce the scarring of the myelin, which causes the relapses. Unfortunately not all MS patients can benefit from disease-modifying medicines and they are only prescribed to patients with specific cases of relapsing-remitting MS and secondary-progressive MS. There are most injection treatments, but due to the ongoing advances made in the technology and research of MS, oral treatments (tablets) are gaining momentum.