Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is a health condition where the myelin sheath protecting nerves in the brain is damaged. CIS causes symptoms like dizziness, lack of facial sensation, and weakness in the limbs, which can also accompany multiple sclerosis (MS).
CIS can sometimes develop into MS when symptomatic episodes occur repeatedly. As a result, doctors sometimes prescribe disease-modifying therapies to treat CIS, which can either stop MS from developing or delay its symptoms. Here is what to expect from these treatments.
There is no cure for MS, but disease-modifying therapies can have a substantial impact on symptoms and health effects. While CIS and MS are distinct disorders, doctors sometimes initiate a treatment regimen for CIS similar to MS, especially when diagnostic imaging detects multiple lesions in different areas of the brain and spinal cord.
Disease-modifying therapies can be administered orally, injected, or provided as an infusion. Different medications and treatments address different health effects. For example, some therapies treat problems with walking and mobility, while others can control effects like spasticity (muscle stiffness), bladder dysfunction, and pseudobulbar affect, which can cause uncontrollable fits of laughing and crying without evident cause.
The majority of people experience a single CIS episode, meaning that symptoms occur once and never return. In this case, symptoms may last for a period of about 24 hours but never repeat. In some cases, symptoms can return, which indicates an MS diagnosis.
This is an important factor for you and your doctor to consider should you be diagnosed with CIS. While drug treatments are effective, they also come with certain side effects. As a result, your doctor must weigh your symptoms and risk of MS against the possible side effects of medications before recommending a treatment.