what treatments are now available for multiple sclerosis?

Answer 1

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Answer 2

New Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis
Filed under: News

A new combination of drugs is found effective in reducing relapse rate in patients suffering from severe Multiple Sclerosis by 90%, a new study reveals. The new treatment, which is pioneered by British scientists at the Liverpool's Walton Centre for Neurology, involves the use of Mitoxantrone, a common anti-cancer drug and Copaxone, a Multiple Sclerosis anti-attack drug.

There is actually no cure for Multiple Sclerosis, but drugs can lessen attacks and relapses and the combination of the two drugs is the most powerful treatment, so far. One aggressive MS patient named Karen Ayres who underwent the experimental treatment said she used to be totally paralyzed and unable to move around without her wheelchair but after the treatment, she has successfully regained mobility. In fact, she’s now taking up doctoral studies.

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic degenerative disorder of the nervous system characterized by weakness of the muscles, fatigue, poor vision, speech defects, and paralysis. It occurs mostly to young adults and is probably caused by certain genetic and environmental factors (such as a virus).

other sites pls click here:
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8263

http://www.newtreatments.org/multiple%20sclerosis

http://www.organichope.com/english/multiplesclerosis.htm?gclid=COiZ0Z-A-4kCFRFjTAodbEHBSw

http://www.bcm.edu/fromthelab/vol03/is2/04mar_n3.htm

http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/MultipleSclerosis.pdf

http://ms.about.com/od/treatment/a/Treatment.htm

Answer 3

As was previously posted, there are no "restorative" drugs. There are only "preventative" drugs, which slow the progression of the disease and lessen its effects.

The following drugs are the long-term therapy drugs that are currently available to treat MS.

There are five drugs which currently have FDA approval to treat relapsing forms of MS. Three of these drugs are interferons. Two of the interferons are modified human interferons, and one is a modified animal interferon. Interferons are medications manufactured by a biotechnological process from one of the naturally-occurring interferons (a type of protein). Those three are Avonex, Rebif, and Betaseron. The fourth drug is a synthetic (glatiramer acetate) whose molecular structure mimics that of myelin, and that drug is Copaxone. The fifth drug, Tysabri, is a laboratory-produced monoclonal antibody. It is designed to hamper movement of potentially damaging immune cells from the bloodstream, across the "blood-brain barrier" into the brain and spinal cord. There are safety concerns about Tysabri, and its efficacy beyond two years is not known because it is so new.

There is only one FDA drug that is currently approved to treat Progressive Relapsing or Secondary Progressive MS, and that is Novantrone. Novantrone belongs to the general group of medicines called antineoplastics. Prior to its approval for use in MS, it was used only to treat certain forms of cancer. It acts in MS by suppressing the activity of T cells, B cells, and macrophages that are thought to lead the attack on the myelin sheath.

There are several new treatments in clinical trials, including an oral medicine as well.

HTH

Answer 4

Usually a doctor will inform the patient of what treatments are available. It depends on what type of MS one has, such as Relapsing Remitting MS, Progressive MS (Primary/Secondary), etc. Once the diagnosis has been recognized and properly assessed, this will allow the patient and doctor to discuss the various types of treatments available for that type of MS, along with clinical trials that might be available to that patient. Support is available and out there, so do look into these links:

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/What%20is%20MS.asp (definition and information, MS National Society)

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/multiple_sclerosis/multiple_sclerosis.htm(information along with links)

http://www.dailystrength.org/support/Brain_Nervous_System/Multiple_Sclerosis_MS/?OVRAW=Support%20groups%20for%20MS&OVKEY=ms%20support%20group&OVMTC=standard (support group for MS)

If you are just inquiring...good for you, but if you have been diagnosed with the disease, there is support and services that you and your doctor can discuss together. Good luck to you and be Safe...(smiles)