- Individuals with RRMS tend to develop more new brain lesions, or scars, on MRI scans.
- Individuals with RRMS tend to have more inflammatory lesions on MRI scans, which can be seen with the use of gadolinium dye.
- Women with RRMS are affected two to three times more than men (with progressive forms of MS, the effects on women in comparison to men are pretty much equal).
Symptoms of RRMS can be unique and different in each person, but some of the most common symptoms include:
- Bowel and bladder problems
- Cognition problems (learning and memory/information processing)
- Fatigue (Episodic bouts)
- Numbness
- Stiffness or spasticity
- Vision problems
With RRMS, new symptoms may disappear without causing an increase in the level of disability after a relapse; new symptoms may disappear partially, resulting in an increase in disability. New lesions on MRI often occur as part of a relapse, but new MRI lesions indicating MS activity may also occur without symptoms.
What You Can Do?
Seek out a neurologic exam and MRI, which can evaluate disease activity at regular intervals. In characterizing RRMS at these different intervals, an MS care provider can assist you by going over treatment options and possible outcomes and expectations of those options.
With active and worsening RRMS, the treatment options will differ than if the RRMS is not active or worsening. Discuss with your MS care provider the difference in the approaches in treatment taken.
If, while on your treatment routine, your RRMS is stable, this is a positive sign that the treatment is working in your favor, with no signs of worsening or MRI activity.
If symptoms are worsening or there is evidence of new disease activity on your MRI while on your current treatment, it is time to discuss another treatment option with your MS care provider.