Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Options

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects women more often than men and typically begins between ages 20 and 40.

What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The disease causes damage to the myelin sheath, the protective covering of the nerve cells. Symptoms vary according to the location and severity of each attack, and episodes can last for days, weeks, or months.

Multiple Sclerosis Therapy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Over the past 10 years, there has been considerable progress made in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. There are now several multiple sclerosis therapy options available to patients. Your doctor at the Brigham Multiple Sclerosis Center will discuss these multiple sclerosis treatment options in detail and recommend treatments that are appropriate for your care. The following medications are available for patients:

• Steroids: Intravenous methylprednisolone (Solumedrol) is used to treat relapses or severely increased symptoms.
• Immunomodulating Agents (Disease-modifying Treatments): These are several medications which are used as first-line multiple sclerosis treatments. These medications help reduce the frequency of relapses, changes in the brain as detected by the MRI, and disability in time.
• Second-line Therapy: First-line therapy with disease-modifying treatments may not adequately control the disease. In these cases, second-line therapy may be used – by itself, or in combination with first-line multiple sclerosis therapy.

Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital

The Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) Department of Neurology comprises a diverse yet integrated array of specialized clinical services, including inpatient and outpatient evaluation and management, second opinions for complex cases, diagnostic testing, and care for the most critically ill. This collaborative approach enables our team to provide patients with all the care they need in one location, providing a greater measure of safety, convenience, and satisfaction.

Patient- and Family-focused Care

Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) has long been committed to not only the care of our patients seeking multiple sclerosis therapy, but also the many other needs that they and their families have. This philosophy of patient- and family-focused care – involving systems and services that emphasize healing in a comfortable, relaxed environment – is a guiding force behind the care we provide at the Department of Neurosurgery.

Quality of Patient Care

BWH is committed to providing all of our patients with the safest, highest-quality, most-satisfying care possible and follow established protocols that have been shown to improve patient outcomes. Our Inpatient Satisfaction Survey, sent to patients’ to assess their total care experience, helps us to monitor what we are doing well and areas for improvement. We pride ourselves in the Quality of Patient Care we provide and how we compare with other hospitals.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital Neurology Team

The Department’s multidisciplinary staff of more than 65 clinical faculty and over 350 department members strives to provide patient-focused, world-class medical care for the entire spectrum of neurological diseases. We have a strong focus on developing new multiple sclerosis treatments as well as treatments and cures for other neurologic diseases, and we offer a variety of teaching programs that train the next generation of neurology professionals.

Contact Us

If you believe you should have an evaluation and would like to schedule an appointment with one of our neurology experts, call 617-525-6550 to speak to one of our knowledgeable coordinators who can help to connect you to the doctor that best meets your needs, or fill out an online appointment request form.