There's currently no cure for MS, but a number of treatments can help control the condition. The treatment you need will depend on the specific symptoms and difficulties you have. Disease-modifying therapies may also help to slow or reduce the overall worsening of disability in people with a type of MS called relapsing remitting MS, and in those with a type called secondary progressive MS who have relapses.
Unfortunately, there's currently no treatment that can slow the progress of a type of MS called primary progressive MS, or secondary progressive MS in the absence of relapses. Many therapies aiming to treat progressive MS are currently being researched. If you have been diagnosed with MS, it's important to take care of your general health. Read more advice about living with MS. MS can be a challenging condition to live with, but new treatments over the past 20 years have considerably improved the quality of life of people with the condition.
MS itself is rarely fatal, but complications may arise from severe MS, such as chest or bladder infections, or swallowing difficulties. The average life expectancy for people with MS is around 5 to 10 years lower than average, and this gap appears to be getting smaller all the time.
These organisations offer useful advice, publications, news items about ongoing research, blogs and chatrooms. They can be very useful if you, or someone you know, has just been diagnosed with MS. There's also the shift. Our guide to care and support explains your options and where you can get support. Page last reviewed: 20 December Next review due: 20 December MS is 1 of the most common causes of disability in younger adults.
Current guidelines recommend a person begin using these drugs when in the early stages of MS, as there is a good chance that they can slow the progression of MS, especially if the person takes them when symptoms are not yet severe. Some drugs are more useful at specific stages.
For example, a doctor may prescribe mitoxantrone at a later, more severe stage of MS. A doctor will monitor how well a drug is working, as there may be adverse effects and the same drugs do not suit everyone. New drug options coming onto the market are proving to be safer and more effective than some existing ones. Adverse effects of immunosuppressant drugs include a higher risk of infections. Some medications may also harm the liver.
If a person notices adverse effects or if their symptoms get worse, they should seek medical advice. Other drugs are useful when a person experiences a worsening of symptoms during a flare. They will not need these drugs all the time. These medications include corticosteroids, which reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system. They can treat an acute flare-up of symptoms in certain types of MS. Examples include Solu-Medrol methylprednisolone and Deltasone prednisone. Steroids can have adverse effects if a person uses them too often, and they are not likely to provide any long-term benefit.
Behavioral changes: If a person has vision problems, a doctor may recommend they rest their eyes from time to time or limit screen time. A person with MS may need to learn to rest when fatigue sets in and to pace themselves so they can complete activities.
Problems with mobility and balance: Physical therapy and walking devices, such as a cane, may help. The drug dalfampridine Ampyra may also prove useful. Tremor: A person may use assistive devices or attach weights to their limbs to reduce shaking. Medications may also help with tremors. Fatigue: Getting enough rest and avoiding heat can help. Physical and occupational therapy can help teach people more comfortable ways to do things. Assistive devices, such as a mobility scooter, can help conserve energy.
Medication or counseling may help boost energy by improving sleep. Pain: A doctor may prescribe anticonvulsant or antispasmodic drugs or alcohol injections to relieve trigeminal neuralgia , a sharp pain that affects the face. Pain relief medication, such as gabapentin, may help with body pain.
There are also medications to relieve muscle pain and cramping in MS. Bladder and bowel problems: Some medications and dietary changes can help resolve these issues. Depression: A doctor may prescribe a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI or other antidepressant drugs. Learn more here about how to manage an exacerbation of MS. What is a healthful diet for a person with MS?
Find out here. Studies have suggested that cannabis may help relieve pain, muscle stiffness, and insomnia. However, there is not enough evidence to confirm this. People considering this approach should note that there is a difference between using street cannabis and medical cannabis. Also, not all forms of cannabis are legal in all states. A person should ask their doctor for advice before using cannabis, as some forms can have adverse effects.
Smoking cannabis is unlikely to be beneficial, and it may make symptoms worse. Some people have suggested that biotin may help. Find out more here. Physical therapy: This aims to provide the skills to maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability.
Occupational therapy: The therapeutic use of work, self-care, and play may help maintain mental and physical function.
Speech and swallowing therapy: A speech and language therapist will carry out specialized training for those who need it. Cognitive rehabilitation: This helps people manage specific problems in thinking and perception. Vocational rehabilitation: This helps a person whose life has changed with MS make career plans, learn job skills, and get and keep a job.
Plasma exchange involves withdrawing blood from a person, removing the plasma, replacing it with new plasma, and transfusing it back into the person. Studies have produced mixed results. Scientists are looking into the use of stem cell therapy to regenerate various body cells and restore function to people who have lost it due to a health condition.
Researchers hope that one day, stem cell therapy techniques may be able to reverse the damage done by MS and restore functionality in the nervous system. MS is challenging to live with but is rarely fatal. Some severe complications such as bladder infections, chest infections, and difficulty swallowing could lead to death. A multiple sclerosis prognosis does not always result in severe paralysis.
Two-thirds of people with MS are able to walk. It can slow them down, jumble them, send them the wrong way, or stop them getting through completely. These attacks, particularly if frequent and repeated, can eventually lead to permanent damage to the underlying nerves. It seems likely that it's partly caused by genes you inherit from your parents and partly by outside factors that may trigger the condition.
Further research is needed to understand more about why MS occurs and whether anything can be done to prevent it. Page last reviewed: 20 December Next review due: 20 December What's known so far suggests it's caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
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