Multiple Sclerosis. It gets on your nerves.
25,600 Australian’s live with multiple sclerosis (MS) – an incurable neurological condition. At HealthMatch, we’re here for anyone affected by it. Find a multiple sclerosis clinical trial today.
Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Trials
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common diseases of the central nervous system. 1 in every 3,000 Australians has the condition.
Time for a quick Greek lesson – sclerosis is actually a Greek word that means scars. So multiple sclerosis sees “scars” occurring throughout the central nervous system. The nerve impulse within the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves are damaged.
Looking for how to help someone with multiple sclerosis? At HealthMatch, we’re bringing forward tomorrow’s treatments. We have three trials available for MS, including ones aimed at medications targeting myelin-producing cells and stem cell transplants.
3 times
as many women have MS than men ¹
Over 10
Australians are diagnosed with MS every week ²
Leading
cause of disability in young adults ³
Foundation
MS Australia
MS Australia (MSA) has been raising awareness and lobbying for key and topical issues for people with MS since 1956.
They’ve advocated for more affordable and accessible treatments, for the protection of legal rights for people with MS in legislation, and have met with politicians to raise awareness about pertinent issues.
MS Australia Support Services
MSA offers various support services across the country. These include peer support groups; health and wellbeing programs; webinars; residential respite; occupational therapy; speech pathology, and more.
Resources
MS Healthline
MS Healthline is a free phone app available on Apple devices. It allows people with MS to connect with, and gain advice and support from, people going through the same thing.
RealTalk MS
The host of this podcast, Jon Strumm, breaks down the latest multiple sclerosis news in easy-to-understand English. He also chats with MS activists, caregivers and neuroscientists.
FAQ
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is an incurable, chronic disease. With MS, the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks itself.
When it attacks itself, it damages the fatty material that surrounds nerve cells – myelin. Why is myelin so important? It protects and insulates the nerves. This, in turn, allows the electrical messages that the brain sends to the rest of the body to travel quickly and efficiently.
If myelin is damaged, nerve cell communication is disrupted. The brain cannot talk to other parts of the body properly.
MS tends to take one of three common forms, relapse-remitting, secondary progressive and primary progressive.
Relapse-remitting MS (RRMS) is the most common form of MS. It is characterised by partial or total recovery after flare-ups of MS (also known as relapses, attacks, exacerbations).
Secondary progressive MS (SPMS) is characterised by a progressive worsening of symptoms over time. Flare-ups and partial recoveries may continue to occur.
Primary progressive MS (PPMS) is characterised by a progressive worsening of symptoms, and disability right from the beginning. There are generally no periods of recovery or remission.
What are the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
The symptoms of MS are varied and unpredictable, for both men and women. They depend on which part of the central nervous system is affected, and to what extent.
Symptoms can be any combination of five major health problems: motor control, fatigue, neurological symptoms, continence care, and neurophysical symptoms.
For motor control, symptoms include muscular spasms, and problems with weakness, coordination, balance, and functioning of the arms and legs.
For fatigue, symptoms include tiredness and heat sensitivity.
Neurological symptoms include vertigo; pins and needles; visual disturbances, and more.
Symptoms of continence care include bladder incontinence and constipation.
Neuropsychological symptoms include depression, cognitive difficulties, and memory loss.
How do you treat multiple sclerosis?
Treatments for multiple sclerosis fall into two categories: symptomatic therapies and disease-modifying therapies.
Symptomatic therapies are medications that ease specific symptoms.
Medications that reduce the risk of relapses and disease progression are disease-modifying therapies.
Is there a cure for multiple sclerosis?
There is currently no known cure for MS.
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a scientific study involving patient or non-patient (healthy) human volunteers. They help determine whether medicines are safe and effective to introduce as new treatments for a particular disease or condition.
How do I select a clinical trial?
HealthMatch matches you to clinical trials, in an easy-to-understand process.
After completing a medical questionnaire, our platform searches for and filters eligible trials for you. You’re able to view matches and apply for trials, on your trial dashboard.
We’ll put you in direct contact with the trial group once you’ve been accepted. We won’t stop searching until we’ve found you the right match.
