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Multiple Sclerosis
A guide for patients and carers
What is the treatment for multiple sclerosis?
Unfortunately, doctors do not at present have a cure for multiple sclerosis itself, but they can help in various ways. Over the years the mainstay of treatment has been to encourage people to keep as mobile as possible, often with the help of physiotherapy. Also, a number of symptoms can be treated as they arise. For example, there are some useful drugs that reduce stiffness or spasticity in muscles, such as Baclofen (Lioresal), Dantrolene (Dantrium), Diazepam (Valium) and Tizanidine (Zanaflex).
There are also some effective drugs to treat the bladder problems that can occur. These drugs include Pro-Banthine (Propantheline) and Ditropan (Oxybutynin). Treatment of fatigue is quite difficult, but doctors sometimes use a drugs called Amantidine (Symmetrel) or may try a very small dose of drugs more often used as a treatment for depression, e.g. Amitriptyline or Imipramine.
When the symptoms of multiple sclerosis flare up (a relapse) it is possible to speed up the rate of recovery from the relapse, (i.e. speed up the remission) by using steroid medicines. The most effective way to give steroids, when a person has a relapse, is by a drip straight into the bloodstream, usually over three or four days. For some patients a course of steroid tablets taken by mouth works just as well.
New forms of treatment
During the past few years scientists have been experimenting with new forms of medicine which try to prevent the unwanted activity of the body’s immune system in multiple sclerosis. One such medicine is called Beta-interferon. Three types of Beta-interferon have recently been given a licence for prescription in the UK.
The main benefit of Beta-interferon is in reducing by about one third the number of flare-ups that a person with MS experiences. There is also a suggestion that some types of Beta-interferon may slightly slow down the progression of disability in a person. Like all drugs, Beta-interferon has some side effects and there is still uncertainty as to whether it is going to be very helpful in the long-term treatment of people with multiple sclerosis. Beta-interferon has to be given by injection.
Another new medicine that is likely to arrive very soon is called Co-polymer-1. This seems to work in a similar way to Beta-interferon and seems to offer a similar benefit in terms of reducing the number of flare-ups that a given individual experiences.
During the next few years it is hoped that other new medicines will become available for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Things are changing very quickly and if you are interested in these new medicines it would be a good idea to talk to your neurologist about them.
When the symptoms of multiple sclerosis flare up (a relapse) it is possible to speed up the rate of recovery from the relapse, (i.e. speed up the remission) by using steroid medicines. The most effective way to give steroids, when a person has a relapse, is by a drip straight into the bloodstream, usually over three or four days. For some patients a course of steroid tablets taken by mouth works just as well.
New forms of treatment
During the past few years scientists have been experimenting with new forms of medicine which try to prevent the unwanted activity of the body’s immune system in multiple sclerosis. One such medicine is called Beta-interferon. Three types of Beta-interferon have recently been given a licence for prescription in the UK.
The main benefit of Beta-interferon is in reducing by about one third the number of flare-ups that a person with MS experiences. There is also a suggestion that some types of Beta-interferon may slightly slow down the progression of disability in a person. Like all drugs, Beta-interferon has some side effects and there is still uncertainty as to whether it is going to be very helpful in the long-term treatment of people with multiple sclerosis. Beta-interferon has to be given by injection.
Another new medicine that is likely to arrive very soon is called Co-polymer-1. This seems to work in a similar way to Beta-interferon and seems to offer a similar benefit in terms of reducing the number of flare-ups that a given individual experiences.
During the next few years it is hoped that other new medicines will become available for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Things are changing very quickly and if you are interested in these new medicines it would be a good idea to talk to your neurologist about them.
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Page 6 of 9
Contents
- Introduction
- What is multiple sclerosis?
- What are the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
- How do doctors make the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis?
- How does the disease progress?
- What is the treatment for multiple sclerosis?
- Other sorts of treatment which have been tried in the past
- Questions and answers
- Other organisations that may be able to help
