The most common treatment regimen is a three or five-day course of intravenous (Solu-Medrol® - methylprednisolone) or oral (Deltasone® - prednisone) corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are not believed to have any long-term benefit on the disease.
True flares can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks or months, per the NMSS. It is not always clear from the outset whether a person is experiencing a flare or a pseudoexacerbation, and sometimes watching and waiting is the only way to know.
What do MS attacks feel like? MS attack symptoms vary, including problems with balance and coordination, vision problems, trouble concentrating, fatigue, weakness, or numbness and tingling in your limbs.
People with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) may go through periods of new or worsening symptoms called flares. Common symptoms of MS flares can include feeling tired, pain, numbness, dizziness, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, brain fog, problems with going to the bathroom, or trouble seeing.
Symptoms of an MS flare-up usually come on quickly, over a period of hours or days. Relapses usually last for about four to six weeks, though they can be as short as only a few days or as long as several months.
In many patients, over a span of 5 to 15 years, the attacks begin more indolently, persist more chronically and remit less completely, gradually transforming into a pattern of steady deterioration rather than episodic flares. This pattern is referred to as secondary progressive MS.
Recovering From an MS Flare
During remissions, all symptoms may clear up, or some symptoms may be long-lasting or even permanent, notes the NMSS. Younger people generally recover better from flares than older people, according to Chitnis.
Recovery from a relapse usually happens within the first two to three months, but may continue for up to 12 months.
Symptoms are considered serious and in need of hospital treatment if they prevent you from eating or drinking, caring for yourself, or walking. Symptoms that may require hospitalization include: Disabling pain. Optic neuritis that impairs vision.
Signs of an MS Attack
Dizziness. Problems with balance and coordination. Trouble with your vision. Issues with your bladder.
Copaxone and Glatopa are injected subcutaneously either every day or every three days (a higher dose is used). Beta interferon drugs are administered in the following manner: Avonex is injected intramuscularly (into a muscle) once a week. Betaseron and Extavia are injected subcutaneously every other day.
If you noticed that the physical ability is worsening over the past 6 months or year, inform your healthcare provider. Also, report changes in cognition such as short-term memory loss, multitasking problems and word-finding difficulties.
Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that can mimic some of the symptoms of MS such as fatigue and joint pain.
You might get a shocking, burning, squeezing, stabbing, cold, or prickly feeling out of nowhere. Some people call them zingers or stingers. These zaps usually last only seconds or minutes. They often affect your legs, feet, arms, and hands.
Multiple sclerosis is caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves. It's not clear why this happens but it may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Blood Tests: Currently, there are no definitive blood tests for diagnosing MS, but they can be used to rule out other conditions that may mimic MS symptoms, including Lyme disease, collagen-vascular diseases, rare hereditary disorders and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
When a damaged nerve “short circuits,” it can cause a sharp pain or a burning or squeezing sensation. A common pain in MS is what's known as Lhermitte's sign. “This occurs when there's a lesion on the cervical spine, the neck area of the spinal cord,” says Dr. Scherz.
Yes, MS can cause nausea in a number of different ways: MS dizziness and vertigo is likely to make you feel nauseous. Many people with MS experience symptoms related to digestion, including dyspepsia, which causes an uncomfortable feeling of fullness and bloating along with pain.