Treatment during a relapse

The following information should not be relied on to suggest a course of treatment for a particular individual, and it should not be used in place of a visit, call, consultation or the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider. 

MS relapses are caused by inflammation in the central nervous system that damages the myelin coating around nerve fibres. This damage slows or disrupts the transmission of nerve impulses and causes the symptoms of MS. 

Acute relapses are commonly treated with steroids, which can be given intravenously or orally for only a few days. Methylprednisolone is the steroid most often used; prednisone is another commonly used steroid. 

The steroids work by damping down the inflammation that is causing demyelination. Steroids are not believed to have any long-term benefit on the course of disease, but they can be effective at: 

• reducing inflammation
• shortening the duration of a relapse
• speeding up recovery from a relapse

Steroids do not affect the outcome of a relapse, such as any difficulty or disability that someone might experience following a relapse. 

Relapses that don’t respond to steroid treatment, or when steroids should be avoided (such as early-stage pregnancy) can also be treated by intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Plasmapheresis is another type of treatment for steroid-resistant relapses.