For those who must learn to cope with the fact that they have been diagnosed with the incurable disease of multiple sclerosis the future may seem bleak. While there is currently no known cure for MS there is constant research being done to find a successful new treatment for multiple sclerosis that will help keep the symptoms in remission for more patients. In January of 2010 the FDA approved the use of a new drug for the treatment of MS.
Finally a New Multiple Sclerosis Treatment
On the 23rd of January the USFDA approved the drug Fampridine SR as a new multiple sclerosis treatment. Following 10 years of research and study at the University of Rochester Medical Center, this new medication has been found to actually enhance lost neurological feelings in many patients who have MS. It was these successful results that led the FDA to finally approve this new medication for use by the general public.
According to Dr. Andrew Goodman, chief of the URMC MS Center, physicians finally have access to a drug that when using in combination with other therapeutic treatments that may help improve the mobility of patients who suffer from multiple sclerosis. He hailed the development and approval of the drug as a "good day for people who suffer from MS." He went on to say that it may help many to regain some of the independence they once enjoyed.
How Does this New Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Work?
As most of us know MS is a disease of the central nervous system that causes a variety of symptoms including muscle spasticity and paralysis as well as poor balance and coordination. It can also result in loss of vision and slurred speech to name but a few of the symptoms. These symptoms are a direct result of the body's own immune system attacking the myelin layer that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
The use of Fampridine SR is thought to actually improve the transmission of signals in the patients nervous system that have previously been affected by their MS. This new multiple sclerosis treatment blocks the potassium ion channels in their nerve cells and thereby restores the levels of signal conduction from one cell to another. In tests 35% of the patients experienced an increase of at least 25% in their walking speed. They also noticed that they could walk further and were able to stay on their feet for much longer periods of time.
As with any new multiple sclerosis treatment results are going to vary from patient to patient. The only real side effect that has been seen is a slight increase in the risk of seizures. However during ten years of clinical trials the number of incidences has been relatively low when the drug was administered at the recommended dosage.
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