Treatments for MS

There's currently no cure for MS, but treatments available can help control the condition and ease some of the symptoms. Treatment for MS depends on the stage of the disease and the specific symptoms the person has.

Treatments for relapses

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Treatment for a relapse usually involves either:

• a 5-day course of steroid tablets taken at home

• injections of steroid medicine given in hospital for 3 to 5 days

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Steroids can help speed up your recovery from a relapse, but they don't prevent further relapses or stop MS getting worse over time.

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Treatments for symptoms

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MS can cause a range of symptoms that can be treated individually. Here's a few examples of treatment available: 

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Fatigue - You may be prescribed a medicine called amantadine for fatigue caused by MS. You could also be put forward for fatigue management courses or therapy, such as CBT which may help.

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Muscle spasms and stiffness - you may be sent to physiotherapy or if your muscle spasms are more severe, you may be prescribed a medicine that can relax your muscles.

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Treatments to reduce relapses and / or delay progression

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Although MS can't be cured, there are medicines that can help people have fewer and less severe relapses. These are called disease-modifying therapies (DMT's).

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They are taken either as a pill, an injection or an infusion. They aim to reduce the amount of damage and scarring to the myelin sheath and they may also help to slow worsening disability in MS, although definitive research into their long-term benefits is limited.