If you asked anyone who has multiple sclerosis what is one thing that should be known about MS, they would almost certainly bring their treatments while bringing up the treatments differ for every person. Being considered a condition that can be likened to snowflakes, it uniquely affects people on an individual basis; because of this, the treatments used to address the effects are also varying depending on the person. This article will go into depth about the different treatments of MS and how they work.
Many, many medications exist that have been approved as treatments for multiple sclerosis, all of which vary by method of taking them and which specific functions they affect in the body. There are different drugs available for the same treatments, which is helpful because of the differences of tolerance between people and the other medical conditions that some may have. The medications for multiple sclerosis come in many different forms, such as through oral tablets, injections, or infusion (i.e. intravenously). They all target different functions in the body that may be contributing to the symptoms that are experienced when having multiple sclerosis. One big example of this are interferon beta medications, which are given by injection and are commonly prescribed as a treatment. They are meant to inhibit processes within the immune system that possibly contribute to some of the symptoms of MS. Many medications have a similar impact on the body by blocking or targeting cells or processes that may have a hand in inducing the experiences felt by people with multiple sclerosis.
Within the general kinds of treatment, there is a multitude of drugs that can be used for the same purposes. These different medications are needed because each one may affect the body’s processes in different ways, which is needed to personalize a treatment plan based on underlying factors. But generally, the types of treatments exist because MS is a disease that is incurable. Since there are no medications that definitively take away multiple sclerosis, the current existing treatments work to take away certain problematic effects. They work to help people with their specific needs with the maintenance of lifestyles—this will differ on a case-by-case basis, whether someone needs to address symptoms, alleviate the effects of flare-ups (AKA exacerbations/relapses), or prevent future flare-ups. If you would like to look into more information about the medications that are available within the types of treatments, we highly encourage that you look at the National MS Society’s Medications page to see thorough descriptions of the specific kinds of medicine and their names are approved by the FDA.
A vast selection of MS treatments exist, all of which have their own benefits and downsides depending on what is needed from the medication. There are even alternative or complementary therapies for MS, including acupuncture, cooling therapies, and marijuana, all of which are possible treatments that can be used if someone is in the position to do so. While it is difficult to fully encapsulate, it is important to understand how different people’s experiences are with treating their MS.
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