Treatments of Multiple Sclerosis
Unfortunately, there is no official treatment for multiple sclerosis today, although scientists are still optimistic and continue to work towards a cure. The MS Scientific Research Foundation funds the investigations of identifying risk factors, understanding the immune system, recovery and repair of nervous system damage, imaging MS using a MRI and treatments.
Although there is no ultimate cure, there a different medications and treatments available to help deal with day to day life and preventing relapses. A relapse is the worsening of MS symptoms or the appearance of new symptoms that last at least twenty-four hours, separated by at least one month. The following list includes popular treatments. Although, with the many real treatments also come dangerous myths, such as removal of amalgam fillings or bee sting therapy. Treatments should be proven to be safe and effective before used. To prove the effectiveness of a treatment, clinical trials are conducted with large focus groups over a sufficient period of time.
Although there is no ultimate cure, there a different medications and treatments available to help deal with day to day life and preventing relapses. A relapse is the worsening of MS symptoms or the appearance of new symptoms that last at least twenty-four hours, separated by at least one month. The following list includes popular treatments. Although, with the many real treatments also come dangerous myths, such as removal of amalgam fillings or bee sting therapy. Treatments should be proven to be safe and effective before used. To prove the effectiveness of a treatment, clinical trials are conducted with large focus groups over a sufficient period of time.
List Of Treatments
- Immunomodulatory therapies target and prevent inflammation which occurs during a relapse.
- Steroids can be used to decrease the severity and duration of relapses, by suppressing the acute inflammation. They will, however, have side effects if taken long term, and there for should only be used over short periods of time.
- Specialized medications can help deal with more common symptoms, such as fatigue and pain.
- As always, one major way to decrease symptoms is to live a healthy lifestyle, including good diet, exercise and proper amounts of rest.
- Disease modifying therapies can be used as early treatments to reduce the frequency and harshness of relapses. These work to reduce accumulation of lesions within the brain and spinal cord, or slow down the growing disability.
- Primary and secondary-progressive MS treatments are fewer and more difficult to find then those for relapsing-remitting MS. Some medications include cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, imuran and novantrone.
- Physiotherapry can help with the body’s motion, including walking, strength, balance, posture, fatigue and pain. By doing a range of activities, the goal is to achieve and maintain optimal function of mobility.
- Another option is occupational therapy, where a therapist will evaluate and treat a patient to optimize independence, productivity and safety in various activities,
- Speech or language pathologists can work with patients to improve problems with speech and or swallowing.
- People who have MS may experience depression, and psychologists and psychiatrists can be helpful with mood or cognitive changes.
- Neuropsychologists can evaluate a person’s ability to think, reason, concentrate and remember, all things that may be affected by MS.
- Provincial vocational rehab programs are available to assist those diagnosed with MS with integrating into jobs that will work with their symptoms
- Complimentary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) include natural health products, herbs, homeopathic medicine, vitamins, ancupuncture, massage, meditations and prayer. It has been recorded that over 70% of MS patients use various CAMs.
The video below explains some new reaserch being performed at the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University.