Comprehensive Care Approach to MS

A Complex Disease Requires a Comprehensive Approach

We don’t yet have a cure for multiple sclerosis. But effective strategies can modify or slow the disease course, treat relapses (also called “attacks” or “exacerbations”), manage symptoms, improve function and safety and support your emotional health.Comprehensive MS care involves the expertise of many different healthcare professionals. Each contributes in a specific way to the management of the disease and the symptoms it can cause. For most people with MS, the neurologist functions as the leader of the team. A neurologist is a specialist in diseases of the nervous system. It is their job to:

Make the MS diagnosis
Identify treatments
Coordinate these treatment efforts with other members of the team

Sometimes your team works within a single care center, offering you “one-stop shopping.” More often, your MS specialist will refer you to other specialists. In either case, the goal is comprehensive, coordinated care to manage the disease. It also promotes comfort, function, independence, health and wellness.

Make the MS diagnosis
Identify treatments
Coordinate these treatment efforts with other members of the team

Make the Most of Your Healthcare Visits

Choose healthcare providers who respect your input, know your rights and responsibilities, and come prepared for your appointments.

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MS Is Only Part of Health

Comprehensive MS care is part — but not all — of your overall health management strategy. Like the general population, you are subject to medical concerns that have nothing to do with your MS.Keep in mind:

Regular visits with a primary care physician are still important.
Age-appropriate screening tests are as important for you as they are for others.
Routine dental care is also important and can help prevent complications from infections.

This applies to family members and carepartners as well. Their health and well-being are also a priority.

Ask an MS Expert: Maintaining Your Wellness and MS Treatment Plan

The Parts of MS Care

Modifying the Disease Course

Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are medicines that could change how your MS develops over time.Disease-modifying therapies:

Reduce the frequency and severity of relapses
Reduce the growth of lesions in the brain and spinal cord as seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
May slow the progression of disability for many people with MS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved more than 20 DMTs. These medicines treat relapsing forms of MS. One has been approved to treat both relapsing MS and primary progressive MS. Several others are approved for secondary progressive MS and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). If you have an MS or CIS diagnosis and aren’t on a DMT, talk to your provider about them.

Treating Relapses

A relapse is an exacerbation of MS. Inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) is the cause of relapses. The central nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. This inflammation damages the myelin. Myelin is the protective coating around nerve fibers. It enables the passing of messages between your brain and body. Damaged myelin slows or blocks the transmission of nerve impulses. This results in various symptoms.To be a true relapse, the attack must last at least 24 hours. There must be at least a 30-day gap from a previous relapse. Most relapses last from a few days to several weeks or even months. They can be mild or severe. Severe relapses can interfere with your ability to function at home and at work. They are commonly treated with high-dose corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. Corticosteroids are a type of drug that reduces swelling and helps your immune system.

Managing Symptoms

In MS, inflammation damages the myelin and nerve fibers in the CNS. This interferes with the sending of nerve signals between the brain, spinal cord, and other parts of the body. This disruption of nerve signals produces the symptoms of MS. These symptoms vary depending on where the damage has occurred. A comprehensive treatment approach can manage MS symptoms. This approach can include medication(s) and rehabilitation strategies.

Promoting Function Through Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation programs help you get better or restore movement. They focus on function and help you improve or maintain your ability to perform safely at home and at work. Your rehabilitation team will focus on fitness and energy management. They will address issues with:

accessibility and mobility
speech and swallowing
memory and other cognitive functions

Rehabilitation is an important component of comprehensive, quality healthcare for people with MS. It is beneficial at all stages of the disease.

Providing Emotional Support

Comprehensive care includes attention to emotional health as well as physical health. Mental health professionals provide support and education. They diagnose and treat the depression, anxiety and other mood changes that are so common in MS. Neuropsychologists are doctors that can assess and treat cognitive issues.

Finding an MS Care Provider

The National MS Society’s Find Doctors & Resources Tool connects you to local healthcare providers. Look for the Partner in MS Care logo. Partners in MS Care are medical facilities that have demonstrated:

Exceptional care
Up-to-date knowledge
Expertise in treating patients with MS

All providers have a strong relationship with the Society. Whether they are a neurologist or social worker, they connect their patients to the support they need to live their best lives with MS.

Modifying the Disease Course

Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are medicines that could change how your MS develops over time.Disease-modifying therapies:

Reduce the frequency and severity of relapses
Reduce the growth of lesions in the brain and spinal cord as seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
May slow the progression of disability for many people with MS

Treating Relapses

Managing Symptoms

Promoting Function Through Rehabilitation

accessibility and mobility
speech and swallowing
memory and other cognitive functions

Rehabilitation is an important component of comprehensive, quality healthcare for people with MS. It is beneficial at all stages of the disease.

Providing Emotional Support

Finding an MS Care Provider

Exceptional care
Up-to-date knowledge
Expertise in treating patients with MS

All providers have a strong relationship with the Society. Whether they are a neurologist or social worker, they connect their patients to the support they need to live their best lives with MS.