A single test hasn’t been devised yet to diagnose Remitting Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis. Even though Remitting Relapsing MS is the most common form of this disease, it is still difficult to diagnose. Doctors have to consider the types of symptoms being experienced, the severity of the symptoms, if they appear and disappear over and over again, and different tests are performed to make sure these symptoms are truly connected to RRMS.
Women are diagnosed with MS twice as often as men are. Researchers have thought this may have something to do with hormones, due to statistics of MS patients over the years. Before puberty happens, more males than females are diagnosed with MS, but once puberty occurs, the number of females doubles.
It is usually easier to diagnose RRMS when a relapse is in progress. During one of these flare-ups, an MRI can be taken to observe inflammation in the brain or spinal cord. By injecting the MS patient with gadolinium, active lesions show up better on the MRI scan. This colorless dye is injected before the MRI takes place and enables inflamed areas to appear much brighter on the scan. Besides an MRI, blood tests, spinal taps, and neurological tests are also performed. Using the data collected from each test helps the doctor determine whether or not the patient has MS or not. 85 percent of the diagnoses made are for RRMS. As long as symptoms continue to come and go without any sign of sustained disability, RRMS is most likely to be the type of MS diagnosed.
Managing RRMS in the Future
It is possible to manage RRMS successfully through the use of new treatments being created, adding exercise to your daily routine, eating a healthy low-fat diet, joining a support group, and taking the proper medication. With proper management of RRMS, hopefully the disease will remain in remission for long periods of time. When symptoms begin to increase in severity and periods of remission are no longer had, this is a sign that the disease has progressed to a different stage. So far, the disease-modifying medications used on RRMS have no affect on more progressive forms of MS.
Remitting Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis is best managed through the use of corticosteroids to control relapses and a number of drugs for reducing relapses altogether. Interferon beta, mitoxantrone, fingolimod, glatiramer, and natalizumab are all used to lower the number of relapses and possibly delay any disability caused by Remitting Relapsing MS.
