Did you know the newest MS treatments can shorten relapses by half? The newest MS treatments such as Humira, Ocrevus and Tecfidera are helping scores of multiple sclerosis patients to live healthier lives. Multiple sclerosis is a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the myelin, a fatty substance that sheaths nerve fibers, and the human nervous system itself. There is no cure for this unpredictable condition, but the latest MS drugs offer patients with effective options to relieve symptoms while delaying the disease's progression. The newest treatments also reduce the rate of new brain lesions! Here we will answer important questions about the highly regarded medications that have gained FDA approval for both relapsing-remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis.
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, how people with MS eat can positively affect their energy levels, bowel and bladder function, and overall health -- and maintaining generally good health is vital for anyone with a chronic illness. There is no specific MS diet, but MS specialists recommend low-fat, high-fiber diets recommended by the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. Vitamins B and D are important nutrients for people with MS; vitamin D assists with calcium absorption, and some studies have shown that patients who consume more vitamin B have more improvements with their disabilities. This makes foods such as custard apples -- which are rich in calcium, vitamin B and vitamin D -- beneficial for any diet. Foods such as custard apples are also rich in polyphenol antioxidants, which several studies have shown can reduce toxic neuronal damage that happens as a result of multiple sclerosis.
When a multiple sclerosis patient suffers from a loss of function, he or she is sometimes prescribed rehabilitation therapy. These forms of therapy include physical, occupational, vocational, cognitive, and speech. The idea is that, through repetition, some function lost during an MS attack can be restored to a certain extent. In addition, MS can take heavy tolls on the lives of patients and loved ones. Your doctor can help you determine which of the best MS treatment options are right for you.
A neurologist treating a multiple sclerosis patient has a wide variety of medications to treat symptoms as they manifest. Because MS can cause such a wide range of symptoms as the disease progresses, care must be taken in prescribing medications with due attention to possible side effects and drug interactions. Medications prescribed for acute symptoms often include corticosteroids, pain killers and muscle relaxers. Learn more about the best medications for MS.
The most common form of treatment involves a three-to-five-day course of corticosteroids given intravenously. The goal is to end the attack quickly and therefore minimize the damage being done to the part of the central nervous system undergoing the attack. An oral course of prednisone sometimes follows. Corticosteroids do not provide any long-term benefit for the disease. Prevention is the best form of treatment, which is why doctors often prescribe medications that delay MS flares.
Gilenya and Tecfidera are two drugs that shorten MS relapses by half, as proven during clinical trials. These drugs are not effective when taken on a short-term basis. Rather, they are ongoing treatments meant to cut relapses, reduce brain lesions and slow the disease's progression.
Gilenya MS treatment can significantly slow the progression of MS when taken over long periods of time, as can Ocrevus and Tecfidera. When these medications have their desired effects, the end result is certainly a delay in the onset of disabilities.
Multiple sclerosis attacks or, as it is sometimes called, exacerbation or relapse occurs when damage to the myelin disrupts the flow of information along that part of the central nervous system to the brain. Attacks or relapses can last from a few days to several months and can vary in severity.
The effectiveness of alternative or what some physicians prefer to call complimentary MS treatments are debatable. For instance, diet and supplements have no known benefit. On the other hand exercise, such as tai chi, as well as stress management have been seen to have some positive effects. Acupuncture is gaining more favor in western medicine, but it should be undertaken only with the consultation of a specialist. Alternative therapies should not be seen as a substitute for more conventional treatments.
Because of the unpredictable nature of multiple sclerosis, attacks can affect various body functions seemingly at random. Symptoms include loss of bowel or bladder function, mobility issues, vision loss, pain, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, tremors, dizziness, itching, and emotional changes including depression.
Ocrevus is the only FDA-approved treatment option for primary progressive MS, which is also known as PPMS. This medication is a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that works as an immunosuppressive drug.