The symptomatic management of multiple sclerosis.

The management of multiple sclerosis (MS) revolves around disease management, symptom management, and person management. Of these, symptom management takes up the bulk of the time of the practicing physician. Some symptoms are easily managed whereas others are more difficult. Decisions have often to be made on whether to treat or to wait and watch. This article discusses the varied symptoms of MS and the approaches to management, which involves rehabilitation, pharmacological treatments, and surgical procedures. The skilled physician managing MS should be familiar with the multiple approaches to improving the quality of life of those with MS. After the diagnosis has been established and the decisions regarding treatment approaches have been made, the talk in a typical office appointment for MS usually turns to symptom management. Thus, the majority of management decisions made by the clinician revolve around that important topic. It is symptom management that will determine quality of life for those with MS, It is the basis for improving function, and, up until twenty years ago, it was the only basis for treating MS. Now, however, we can approach treatment by disease management, symptom management, and person management. The MS specialist must be well versed in all three areas.