An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of MS.
What Is Multiple Sclerosis?
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system. MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease. In MS, the body's immune system produces an inflammatory response that attacks myelin, a fatty substance that protects nerve fibers.
- The cause of MS is not known. It is not an inherited disease, but it appears that genetic factors make some people more susceptible to developing MS.
- MS affects significantly more women than men. Most people first notice symptoms between the ages of 20 to 50.
- The course of MS varies among people. The disease may be mild, moderate, or severe. Most people have the relapsing-remitting form of MS in which flare-ups (also called relapses or exacerbations) of symptoms are followed by periods of remission.
- Symptoms of MS include fatigue; vision problems; difficulty walking; muscle weakness, stiffness, and spasms; and bladder and bowel problems. Not all people have all symptoms.
People with MS are treated with medications and rehabilitation. Nine disease-modifying drugs are approved to treat MS. These drugs can help reduce the frequency and severity of relapses, and slow disease progression and disability. Drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are:
- Interferon beta-1b (Betaseron, Extavia)
- Interferon beta-1a (Avonex)
- Interferon beta-1a (Rebif)
- Interferon beta-1a (Plegridy)
- Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone)
- Natalizumab (Tysabri)
- Mitoxantrone (Novantrone)
- Fingolimod (Gilenya)
- Teriflunomide (Aubagio)
- Dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera)
- Daclizumab (Zinbryta)
Complementary and Alternative Therapies
In 2014, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) released guidelines for the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies in treating MS symptoms. Among the treatments that may be possibly effective:
- Prescription oral synthetic marijuana pills and spray for treating spasticity and pain (the AAN found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against smoked marijuana)
- The herb ginkgo biloba for treating fatigue (but not thinking or memory problems)
- The acupressure technique reflexology to ease tingling and burning nerve sensations