MS Treatment

How MS is treated depends on how advanced a person's disease is and how severe his or her symptoms are. The goals of treatment are to manage symptoms, control the disease, and prevent attacks. There is no universal treatment for MS that works in all cases. Some options include medications, physical and occupational therapy, and emotional support.

MS Treatment: An Overview

There is no known cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), but many types of treatment options are available. For example:
 
  • Medications
  • Physical or occupational therapy
  • Emotional support.
     
These treatments don't make MS disappear, but they can help to manage the symptoms and control the progression of the disease.
 
MS treatment goals fall into three basic categories:
 
  • Manage the exacerbations or relapses of MS, which are the attacks where new symptoms appear or old symptoms get worse
  • Modify the disease itself
  • Manage the MS symptoms.
     

Medications as a Treatment for MS

Several medications are available as part of a
 multiple sclerosis treatment plan. The different categories of medications are explained in the following paragraphs.
 
Medications to Manage Exacerbations
MS exacerbations (flare-ups) are usually accompanied by inflammation and breakdown of the myelin in the central nervous system. If your symptoms are severe, high doses of steroids, such as Solu-Medrol®, may be given through an IV to reduce the swelling and inflammation that contribute to demyelination.
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
 
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