Choosing an effective treatment strategy requires taking many aspects of how the disease progresses in each individual into account. Because symptoms differ from patient to patient, treatment of multiple sclerosis is highly individual.
However, there are some general principles that should be followed when prescribing treatment to all patients with MS:
- Starting treatment as early as possible;
- Taking medication continuously (even during remission, to prevent the next relapse and slow progression);
- Using medicines that suppress the autoimmune inflammatory process, so that new lesions do not develop;
- Regular review of the treatment plan by the doctor according to the course of the disease, with changes made when necessary.
All treatments are divided into 2 groups: pathogenetic treatments (which act on the mechanism by which multiple sclerosis develops) and symptomatic treatments. In addition, the treatment approach during relapse and during remission differs considerably.
- Pathogenetic treatment is given at the onset of the disease, as well as during relapse and remission. Its aim is to stop the autoimmune inflammatory process and prevent destruction of the myelin sheath.
- Symptomatic treatment consists of using various medicines to reduce the severity of symptoms that have already appeared in multiple sclerosis. Symptomatic treatment is given during both relapse and remission. In short, as the name suggests, symptomatic treatment is guided by the symptoms.