Treatments for signs and symptoms
Physical therapy. A physical or occupational therapist can teach you stretching and strengthening exercises, and show you how to use devices that can make it easier to perform daily tasks.
Muscle relaxants. You may experience painful or uncontrollable muscle stiffness or spasms, particularly in your legs. Muscle relaxants such as baclofen (Lioresal, Gablofen) and tizanidine (Zanaflex) may help.
Medications to reduce fatigue.Other medications. Medications may also be prescribed for depression, pain, and bladder or bowel control problems that are associated with MS.
Treatments for attacks
Corticosteroids, such as oral prednisone and intravenous methylprednisolone, are prescribed to reduce nerve inflammation. Side effects may include insomnia, increased blood pressure, mood swings and fluid retention.
Plasma exchange (plasmapheresis). The liquid portion of part of your blood (plasma) is removed and separated from your blood cells. The blood cells are then mixed with a protein solution (albumin) and put back into your body. Plasma exchange may be used if your symptoms are severe and haven't responded to steroids.
Treatments to modify progression
No therapies have shown benefit for slowing the progression of primary-progressive MS. For relapsing-remitting MS, certain medications can lower the relapse rate and reduce the rate of formation of new lesions, particularly early in the disease course.
The options include:
Beta interferons. These medications, which are injected under the skin or into muscle, can reduce the frequency and severity of relapses. Beta interferons can cause side effects such as flu-like symptoms and injection-site reactions. You'll need blood tests to monitor your liver enzymes.
Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone). This medication may help block your immune system's attack on myelin. The medication must be injected beneath the skin. Side effects may include skin irritation at the injection site.
Dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera). This twice-daily oral medication can reduce relapses. Side effects may include flushing, diarrhea, nausea and lowered white blood cell count.
Fingolimod (Gilenya). This once-daily oral medication reduces relapse rate. You'll need to have your heart rate monitored for six hours after the first dose because your heartbeat may be slowed. Other side effects include high blood pressure and blurred vision.
Teriflunomide (Aubagio). This once-daily medication can reduce relapse rate. Teriflunomide can cause liver damage, hair loss and other side effects. It is also known to be harmful to a developing fetus.
Natalizumab (Tysabri). This medication is designed to block the movement of potentially damaging immune cells from your bloodstream to your brain and spinal cord. The medication increases the risk of a viral infection of the brain called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. It is generally given to people who have more severe or active MS, or who do not respond to or can't tolerate other treatments.
Mitoxantrone (Novantrone). This immunosuppressant drug can be harmful to the heart and is associated with development of blood cancers. Mitoxantrone is usually used only to treat severe, advanced MS
Lifestyle and home remedies
To help relieve the signs and symptoms of MS, try to:
1. Get plenty of rest.
2. Exercise. If you have mild to moderate MS, regular exercise can help improve your strength, muscle tone, balance and coordination. Swimming or other water exercises are good options if you're bothered by heat. Other types of mild to moderate exercise recommended for MS include walking, stretching, low-impact aerobics, stationary bicycling, yoga and tai chi.
3. Cool down. MS symptoms often worsen when your body temperature rises. Avoiding exposure to heat and using devices such as cooling scarves or vests can be helpful.
4. Eat a proper diet. Results of small studies suggest that a diet low in saturated fat but high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in olive and fish oils, may be beneficial. But further research is needed. Studies also suggest that vitamin D may have potential benefit for MS.
5. Relieve stress. Stress may trigger or worsen your signs and symptoms. Yoga, tai chi, massage, meditation or deep breathing may help.
Foods That Should Not Be Eaten
for people with MS foods to avoid are:
1. Meat, including processed meat, salami, sausages, canned meat
2. Eggs except for egg whites
3. Dairy products; that is, avoid milk, cream, butter, ice cream and cheeses. Low fat milk or yoghurt is not acceptable. Cow’s milk and dairy products are best avoided altogether as the protein is likely to be as much of a problem as the saturated fat, given recent evidence. Soy products or rice or oat milk are good substitutes.
4. Any biscuits, pastries, cakes, muffins, doughnuts or shortening, unless fat-free
5. Commercial baked goods
6. Prepared mixes
7. Snacks like chips, corn chips, party foods
8. Margarine, shortening, lard, chocolate, coconut and palm oil. There is some debate about chocolate as it does have some good antioxidants, but most chocolate is also loaded with saturated fat, so it is one of the foods to avoid with MS. Cocoa, however, is a natural vegetable product with only a little saturated fat, and the occasional teaspoon in a glass of soy milk for example, as hot chocolate, is fine.
9. Fried and deep fried foods except those fried without oil or with just a dash of olive oil. It is important not to heat oils if possible, and if you want to use just a little extra virgin olive oil, the most stable of the oils, it is a good idea to put a little water in with it when frying to keep its temperature down. Things like fish and chips deep fried in, say, sunflower oil, are bad, in that the oil changes its chemical structure when heated in this way, and tends to be left in the vat for days, with all sorts of unpredictable chemical changes happening to the fats.
10. Most fast foods (burgers, fried chicken, etc.)
11. Other fats and oil
Foods to eat
So what are the best foods for MS? The diet consists of all vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, seeds, pulses and grains (so most pastas, rice, wheat, oats, corn, barley, etc), fish and all other seafood, egg whites, and so on. From these ingredients, one can make a great variety of tasty, satisfying, and above all healthy meals. The recipes section of this website gives just a few examples of what is possible and there are many cookbooks around that are based on this way of eating. Given that seafood is included opens up lots of possibilities with recipes, and also ensures a healthy intake of amino acids, vitamin B12, and omega 3 fatty acids
reference
for full article about the diseases
http://www.talktonurserita.com/2015/02/what-is-multiple-sclerosis.html
