If you have the most common type of multiple sclerosis (MS), relapsing-remitting MS, or RRMS, you know that a relapse can last anywhere from a day to several weeks or even months. And just as the symptoms of MS can vary from person to person, the experience and recovery from an exacerbation is also unique for everyone.
Even though there is a wide spectrum of possible symptoms, severity, and duration in an MS flare, knowing what causes an exacerbation and what to expect if you have one can help you navigate the unpredictability of the disease.
What’s Behind MS Symptoms?
In multiple sclerosis, the immune system mistakenly attacks the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), starting with the myelin sheath, the insulating layer of protein and fat that protects the part of the nerve cell known as the nerve fiber, or axon.
Damage to the myelin and to the underlying axons interrupts or stops the transmission of nerve impulses between the brain and other parts of the body, resulting in the signs and symptoms of MS. Those can include vision loss, balance problems, fatigue, numbness and tingling, and many others, depending on where the damage occurs.
Some MS symptoms can be long-lasting or permanent, while other symptoms tend to come and go.
When existing symptoms worsen, old symptoms recur, or new symptoms appear, it is called an MS flare or, alternatively, an exacerbation, relapse, or attack.
What Defines an MS Relapse?
To be considered a true relapse, the flare must occur at least 30 days after your most recent flare, and the new, recurring, or worsening symptoms must last for at least 24 hours.
Acute symptom flares are typically followed by periods of months or even years when symptoms subside or completely disappear.
Symptoms of an MS Flare
Symptoms of MS flares vary from person to person. Some common symptoms signaling a flare include the following: