How doctors treat your multiple sclerosis (MS) depends a lot on which type of MS you have. Your type can change during your lifetime.

You'll probably need different treatments over time. But the aim is always the same: to help you control your symptoms as much as possible and let you get the most out of life.

Here are the main ways doctors treat MS.

If you have relapsing-remitting MS, your doctor may give you drugs such as interferon beta (brand names Avonex, Betaferon, Extavia, Rebif) to try to:

• Reduce how many relapses (flare-ups) you get

• Stop your MS going on to the next type (secondary progressive MS).

Doctors aren't sure when you should start this type of treatment. (For more information, see When to start treatment.)

Whatever type of MS you have, your doctor may give you steroids for a short time during a relapse to help your symptoms. These drugs work by calming down the inflammation in your brain and spinal cord.

Steroids don't help all types of symptoms. You may need different treatments for these symptoms:

• Tiredness

• Muscle spasms and stiffness (called spasticity)

• Bladder problems, including leaking urine (called urinary incontinence)

• Bowel problems

• Sexual problems.

There are many drugs that you can try for these symptoms. For example, your doctor might suggest trying amantadine (brand name Symmetrel) for tiredness, and tizanidine (Zanaflex), baclofen (Lioresal), or gabapentin (Neurontin) for stiff muscles.

You can also try a rehabilitation programme. During these programmes, a team of specialists checks your symptoms and decides what help you'll need to ease them and to cope with your disabilities.

Glossary

inflammation

Inflammation is when your skin or some other part of your body becomes red, swollen, hot, and sore. Inflammation happens because your body is trying to protect you from germs, from something that's in your body and could harm you (like a splinter) or from things that cause allergies (these things are called allergens). Inflammation is one of the ways in which your body heals an infection or an injury.

For more terms related to Multiple sclerosis

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