MS

Types of MS and what can help them

There are 4 different kinds of MS:

1. Relapsing-Remitting MS – people show symptoms of MS (‘relapse’) but then seem to get better (‘remission’). Things carry on like this for the rest of someone’s life. This is the most common form of MS.
2. Primary Progressive MS – People with this form of MS have symptoms that gradually get worse.
3. Secondary Progressive MS – this means getting relapsing remitting MS then getting prmary progressive MS a while later.
4. Benign MS – This is the mildest form of MS and it’s quite unusual. People get symptoms early on but then their MS seems to go away, with just a few symptoms every so often.

Although we don’t yet have a cure for MS, there are some new drug treatments that can help.  Here are two examples, although there are others that can help too.

• Some medicines (Beta Interferon and Copaxone) help the immune system and seem to make people have fewer problems with some kinds of MS.
• Steroids are medicines that stop swelling in the nerve cells. Often, someone will spend a few days in hospital having a course of steroids.

People with MS tend to see lots of different workers. Here is what some of them do:

• Neurologist – a doctor who knows a lot about the central nervous system.
• MS Nurse – a nurse who does lots of looking after people with MS.
• Occupational Therapist – helps people with MS.
• Physiotherapist –helps with exercise and stretching.
• Clinical Psychologist –helps people when their thinking is changed by MS.
• District Nurse – a nurse who visits people in their own home.
• Social worker – also known as a ‘care manager’ or ‘key worker’, they make sure that people get a “care package” of benefits and help.
• Continence advisor –helps when someone with MS has trouble with going to the toilet.
• Dietician – they know about eating healthy food.

People with MS don’t get help from all these people at the same time, but it can still feel like a lot of people are coming into your house all of a sudden!

How does MS affect people?

Publications

1. What is MS? "It's all Greek to me!"
2. Why did this happen to us?!
3. How does MS affect people?
4. Types of MS and what can help them
5. Publications