As such, there’s no real cure for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However, there are a few common treatment options for MS that help speed up the recovery following an attack, reduce the spread of MS, and help manage symptom flare-ups. People with mild symptoms do not require any treatment. Let’s take a look at some common treatment measures.

Common treatment options for MS

Corticosteroids
These are the drugs that are prescribed by the doctor to help a person overcome nerve inflammation. These include intravenous methylprednisolone and oral prednisone.

Plasmapheresis
This is a form of plasma exchange, wherein the plasma from the blood is removed. It is then separated from the blood cells. Then, the unhealthy blood cells will be mixed with albumin, which is a healthy protein solution. The mixture is injected back into the body. This treatment measure is used when the symptoms are not severe.

Treatments to restrict progression
At times, the doctor will give a person a disease-modifying therapy, such as ocrelizumab, which will reduce the chances of progression of MS. It has been noted that the patients who were given this DMT had a lesser chance of progression than people who were left untreated.

There are also some DMTs available for treating the symptoms, which either come back over time or symptoms that do not seem to go away. These include:

Injectable treatments

• Interferon beta drugs: Such drugs happen to be the most common treatment options for MS. They help lower the frequency as well as severity of the relapsing symptoms.
• Glatiramer acetate: Such medications intend to restrict the attack of the immune system on the myelin sheath.

Oral Treatments

• Fingolimod: This is an oral medication that has to be taken once-daily to lower the relapse rate.
• Dimethyl fumarate: This is a medication that needs to be taken two times a day to lower the relapse rate.
• Diroximel fumarate: This is an approved treatment measure for curing the relapsing symptoms.
• Teriflunomide: Another once-daily medication, this does work great for reducing the relapse rate.
• Siponimod: It is not only effectively lowers down the relapse rate but also helps overcome the progression rate.
• Cladribine: This is given as a second-line medication for patients who have relapsing-remitting symptoms.

Infusion treatments

• Ocrelizumab: This is an improved monoclonal antibody drug, which helps treat the primary progression and relapse-remitting symptoms of MS.
• Natalizumab: This is a medication used to restrict the transport of unhealthy immune cells to the spinal cord or the brain via the blood.
• Alemtuzumab: This is a drug that helps in reducing the relapse of the symptoms of the MS by specifically targeting a protein, which is present on the immune cells that deplete the white blood cells.

Before one starts using any drug or medication for the treatment of MS, please consult the doctor and know about the side effects. Each of these drugs come with various side effects, some more than others. So, understand them, and then make a decision.