Multiple sclerosis how long can you live

A MS diagnosis is not a death sentence, because it can be controlled and stay in remission. However, in some cases, worsening symptoms can lead to a number of disabilities. It may also be required of the caregiver to provide personal care and assistant with day to day activities they are no longer able to perform. As previously mentioned, the disease is unpredictable. Not everyone with MS will experience the final stages. However, it is important to have an understanding of what the final stages of multiple sclerosis could look like and to have a full picture of the disease.

The best way for those with MS and their loved ones to prepare is to arm themselves with information. Modern advances in treatment and lifestyle-wellness plans are helping MS patients live longer. Current observation shows that people with MS have a life expectancy about seven years shorter than those without. On rare occasions, MS can lead to a premature death. Through walking aides like canes or crutches, many retain the ability to move around.

MS treatment can help, but in some individuals the disease may continue to progress. Doctors do what they can to help MS patients, but they cannot predict how MS will advance in one individual. Many of these complications or other medical conditions are either manageable or preventable. What does that mean? You may not be able to control the fact that you have MS, but you can control other health factors that may contribute to your life expectancy with MS.

Diet and exercise decisions are within your control. Quitting smoking is within your control. Taking your MS treatment as prescribed is within your control. The National MS Society note that, in rare cases, when the condition progresses rapidly, it can be fatal.

In , scientists reported in the journal Neurology that the life expectancy of people with MS was around 7 to 14 years lower than for people without the condition. In the past, doctors considered MS to be untreatable. In the last 2 to 3 decades, however, new therapies have emerged that can slow the progress of MS and manage symptoms more effectively in some people. After symptoms first appear, they will experience a relapse once every 2 years, on average.

Between relapses, their condition remains stable. At first, a person will experience alternating flares and periods of recovery. In time, however, they will start to have fewer sudden relapses but a steady worsening of symptoms.

Progressive forms of MS can be more severe and harder to treat. Most people with MS will see some loss of physical and other ability, but around two-thirds of people with the condition continue to be able to walk, according to the National MS Society.

In time, some who experience MS may need an aid, such as a stick or a walker, to prevent falls and help them conserve energy.

Recent and ongoing medical advances, however, mean that the outlook for a person with MS is improving rapidly, and also the chances of living as long as someone without the condition. Research over the last 20 to 30 years has produced treatments that target the specific changes that occur in relapsing MS. Specialists call these treatments disease-modifying therapies DMTs. There is strong evidence that if a person uses a DMT from the early stages of MS, it can help to prevent relapses and slow the progression of the disease.

The guidelines suggest using a DMT as a first-line treatment, and as an ongoing therapy, possibly in combination with corticosteroids. The DMTs include :. People can take some of these by mouth, some are injectable, and others a doctor would give as an intravenous infusion. Mitoxantrone, previously under the brand name Novantrone, is an older DMT that may have serious adverse effects, including cardiomyopathy and fertility problems. The AAN guidelines suggest that doctors avoid prescribing mitoxantrone if the risk to a person could be greater than the benefit the drug may offer.

People who are using this drug may wish to speak to their doctor about changing to another option. However, there can be adverse effects from changing medication as well.

Doctors may ask a person about their needs and preferences. As people vary in their response to MS and treatments, doctors and researchers are now focusing on ways to target medication to suit individuals. This involves identifying variations in genes that may play a role in MS. If damage to a specific gene results in symptoms for one person, for example, targeting that gene may provide effective treatment but with less unnecessary damage to other genes.

If a person finds that their treatment option is not helping, they may wish to speak to their doctor about trying another type. MS involves periods of remission and relapse. A relapse, or flare, is when symptoms suddenly return after a period of improvement. During a time of remission, symptoms may lessen or disappear. It is not always easy to spot a relapse before symptoms become severe.