When Should You Start Treating Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis?
2 min readMany people who are diagnosed with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) wonder if immediate treatment is necessary since they experience periods of stability between relapses. Now, research shows that early treatment can help slow the progression of the condition. There are several disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) available that can also help prevent relapses and the development of new lesions.
In MS, lesions are areas of scarring (sclerosis) found in the central nervous system, which result from the inflammation caused by the immune system attacking the myelin sheath which surrounds the nerves. It may be possible that new lesions may be forming even if symptoms are not active. For this reason, people with MS should receive regular MRIs.
Your first MRI will serve as a baseline to which future scans can be compared. Your healthcare provider can offer recommendations for treatments based on these findings. They will also use the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) to track how the condition is affecting your life. With proactive treatment, you may be able to slow the progression of the condition so that favorite activities can continue and potentially reduce relapses.
Even if changes are minimal, any new developments in MS indicate disease progression. Moreover, all relapses indicate that relapsing MS is active. With the right treatment, many patients can control the progression of MS and prevent relapses.
While there are many medications available, people with Multiple Sclerosis are also increasingly exploring new treatment options, such as regenerative medicine, also known as stem cell therapy, to take the most comprehensive approach in addressing the progression of the condition and helping to manage symptoms.
This post was written by a medical professional at Stemedix Inc. At Stemedix we provide access to Regenerative Medicine for multiple sclerosis, also known as stem cell therapy for multiple sclerosis. Regenerative medicine has the natural potential to help improve symptoms sometimes lost from the progression of many conditions.