Treating MS early is one way to helping slow the progression of your MS. But the success of your multiple sclerosis treatment can depend on your commitment to taking your treatment consistently as prescribed. Choosing the option that's right for you may help. MS therapy is available in different formulations, including injections, infusions, or pills. Whether you're deciding on a first treatment plan or trying to evaluate whether your current therapy is still working for you, it's important to think about your personal treatment needs. Use our Treatment Selection Guide to help you organize information about the therapies you're considering. Be sure to work with your healthcare team to choose a treatment plan that works best for your lifestyle and the specific type of MS you have. Several MS treatment options offer you the flexibility to take them by yourself, whether by giving yourself an injection or taking an oral pill. How often you have to take the medication varies depending on the specific treatment. For some people with MS, the chosen course of therapy is one that must be administered by medical personnel. Infusion therapies are generally given less frequently than self-administered therapies. But they do require the supervision … Continue reading →

Multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment involves managing the symptoms as well as treating the disease before permanent damage causes additional symptoms. Although there is no cure for MS, treatments may include medications, physical and occupational therapy and experimental therapies. Nearly 45 percent of people who don't get relief from corticosteroids benefit from plasma exchange. It's not clear why plasma exchange works, but doctors believe that replacing plasma may dilute the activity of the destructive factors in the immune system. Plasma exchange is effective for people who have sudden, severe attacks of MS-related disability who don't benefit from high doses of corticosteroids. The treatment is most helpful in those who have a mild disability before the attack. Plasma exchange has no proven benefit beyond three months from the onset of neurologic symptoms. Mayo Clinic doctors generally recommend beta interferons for people who have more than one MS attack a year and for those who don't recover well from flare-ups. The treatment may also be used for people who have a significant buildup of new lesions as seen on an MRI scan, even without major new symptoms of disease activity. A number of drugs are available to help relieve MS symptoms. Your doctor … Continue reading →

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease in which the immune system, which normally protects your body, instead attacks the covering (myelin sheath) surrounding the nerves in your brain and spinal cord. These nerves send information from your brain and spinal cord to other nerves in your body, and myelin helps make this transmission efficient. Attacks of multiple sclerosis lead to inflammation and injury to the myelin sheath, resulting in slowed or blocked nerve signals, which can lead to difficulty controlling vision, muscle coordination, strength, sensation and other bodily functions. Multiple sclerosis can affect people of any age, although symptoms most commonly occur in people 20 to 40 years old. Women are twice as likely to develop MS as are men. Read more about diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis. Experience. Each year, Mayo Clinic doctors diagnose and treat more than 3,500 adults and children with multiple sclerosis and other central nervous system disorders, including optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, neuromyelitis optica (Devic's disease) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Doctors at Mayo Clinic evaluate and treat more than 2,500 people with multiple sclerosis. Treatment expertise. Doctors at Mayo Clinic have experience treating multiple sclerosis and helping people manage MS symptoms. Although MS can't … Continue reading →

Although there is still no cure for MS, effective strategies are available to modify the disease course, treat exacerbations(also called attacks, relapses, or flare-ups), manage symptoms, improve function and safety, and provide emotional support. In combination, these treatments enhance the quality of life for people living with MS. The following agents can reduce disease activity and disease progression for many individuals with relapsing forms of MS, including those with secondary progressive disease who continue to have relapses. Adhering to your treatment plan is the best possible strategy for managing your MSand continuing the disease-modifying medication your doctor has recommended for you is an important part of that plan. An exacerbation of MS is caused by inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) that causes damage to the myelin and slows orblocks the transmission of nerve impulses. To be a true exacerbation, the attack must last at least 24 hours and be separated from a previous exacerbation by at least 30 days. However, most exacerbations last from a few days to several weeks or even months. Exacerbations can be mild or severe enough to interfere with a persons ability to function at home and at work. Severeexacerbations are most commonly treated … Continue reading →