The symptoms of MS have never been as amenable to therapy as they are now. Tizanidine was introduced for management of spasticity. Use of the intrathecal baclofen pump for severe spasticity became widespread. It delivers medication directly to the spinal cord to relieve intense muscle stiffness and spasms. Improvements were made in medications for bladder management (tolterodine) and for fatigue (modafinil). Treatment of sexual problems, a long-neglected aspect of MS, took a major leap forward with the introduction of sildenafil (better known as Viagra). Gabapentin was introduced to treat many painful symptoms ranging from severe face pain (trigeminal neuralgia) to burning pains in the limbs.

Research also revealed many ways in which MS can alter the mind, slowing down thinking and affecting memory. New drugs, such as donepezil, used to treat these problems in Alzheimer’s disease, are now being tested in MS. Refinements in rehabilitation, exercise, and physical therapy also benefited people with MS. These and many other new treatments have markedly enhanced the ways we physicians can calm symptoms and improve the quality of life for our patients.

Reference

Written by Loren A. Rolak, MD. Reproduced by permission from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, USA. © NMSS, 2003