Great question! MS medications vary widely depending on the type of MS, how active the disease is, and personal preferences. Here's a breakdown of the main categories:
Disease-Modifying Therapies (DMTs) — these are the most commonly prescribed and work by calming the immune system to reduce attacks on the nervous system Show Full Answer
Great question! MS medications vary widely depending on the type of MS, how active the disease is, and personal preferences. Here's a breakdown of the main categories:
Disease-Modifying Therapies (DMTs) — these are the most commonly prescribed and work by calming the immune system to reduce attacks on the nervous system. They come in a few forms:
- Infusions (given at a clinic): Natalizumab (Tysabri), Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus), Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada), Ublituximab-xiiy (Briumvi)
- Self-injections: Ofatumumab (Kesimpta)
- Oral pills: Cladribine (Mavenclad), and others
Medications for Relapses — corticosteroids like methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) are often used short-term during flare-ups to reduce inflammation.
Symptom Management Medications may also be prescribed alongside DMTs, such as:
- Amantadine or modafinil for fatigue
- Gabapentin or pregabalin for nerve pain
- Baclofen or tizanidine for muscle spasticity
- Dalfampridine (Ampyra) for walking difficulties
- Low-dose naltrexone for pain (off-label)
Everyone's treatment plan looks a little different, and switching medications over time is actually pretty common. Always work closely with your neurologist to find what fits best for your situation.
September 5
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