What Is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath, which insulates nerve fibers in your brain and spinal cord.
Who’s Eligible for MS Services?
You may be eligible for MS services if you are having symptoms of or have been diagnosed with MS.
What MS Services Do We Offer?
We offer a full range of MS services, including:
Diagnostic services for MS
There's no conclusive test to diagnose MS.
We offer diagnostic tests to help your care team gather more information about your condition, including:
- Blood and urine tests — Check for abnormalities and rules out other conditions.
- Cerebral spinal fluid analysis (spinal tap or lumbar puncture) — Involves inserting a needle into your lower back to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for analysis in a lab.
- Evoked potentials test — Measures how quickly your brain responds to sights, sounds, and sensations.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — Creates images of your brain and spine using contrast dye to look for damaged or abnormal areas.
- Neurological examination — A noninvasive test to check your reflexes, balance, movement, memory, and ability to think.
- Neuropsychological examination — Checks your ability to think, reason, and remember.
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) — A noninvasive imaging test that uses reflected light to create images of structures in the back of your eye.
Medications for MS
Medications may reduce your risk of relapses and slow progression of the disease.
Medications for MS include:
- Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) — Long-term treatment that reduces the risk of relapses, slows progression of the disease, and prevents further demyelination. DMTs may be given as injections, IV infusions, or oral medications.
- Relapse management medications — Treat symptoms and flare-ups by suppressing your immune system, reducing inflammation, and slowing demyelination.
Your doctor may also prescribe medications to treat pain, cognitive symptoms, or mental health concerns.
Acute treatment for MS
Short-term treatments for symptom relapses may include:
- Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIG) — During IVIG, you will receive an intravenous injection of donor immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins are a natural part of your immune system and protect your body by attacking foreign organisms. Immunoglobulins may prevent your immune system from further damaging your nerves.
- Plasma exchange (plasmapheresis) — Plasmapheresis involves using a machine to separate the liquid part of your blood, called plasma, from your blood cells. Your plasma is then filtered to remove the antibodies that are causing nerve damage before being returned to your body.
Stem cell transplant for MS
A stem cell transplant is a complex procedure that replaces diseased stem cells with healthy ones from a donor or your own body. A stem cell transplant is a one-time treatment for MS that may stop your immune system from attacking myelin cells and halt disease progression.
Rehabilitation and supportive care for MS
You may receive various rehabilitation therapies to help maintain strength, mobility, and independence.
Rehabilitation treatment may include:
- Physical therapy — Improves strength, balance, and mobility using exercises, stretching, massage, electrical stimulation, and other techniques.
- Occupational therapy — Teaches techniques and strategies to help you perform everyday activities, such as bathing, dressing, cooking, and grooming, sometimes with the assistance of a cane, brace, walker, or wheelchair.
- Speech and swallowing therapy — Helps you regain the ability to swallow, chew, and speak.
Your doctor may recommend other therapies to help manage your symptoms, including:
- Alternative therapies, such as acupuncture or massage.
- Counseling for mental and emotional problems.
- Glasses or medications to manage vision-related symptoms.
Clinical trials for MS
You may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial studying new treatments for MS. Your doctor will let you know if you qualify for a clinical trial.
What Can I Expect?
Our comprehensive team includes neurologists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses who are experts in MS care. Our team works together to meet the needs of people with MS at all levels of disease severity. We also work closely with neuropsychologists and physical therapists to offer patients the full spectrum of care.
Why Choose UPMC for MS Care?
When you choose UPMC for MS care, you will receive:
- Multidisciplinary care — Our team of neurologists and autoimmune disease experts will work together to develop a customized treatment plan that reduces your risk of complications.
- Access to advanced clinical trials — Our team participates in national, multicenter clinical trials evaluating new treatment options, enabling you to contribute to research that advances care for autoimmune disorders.
- Seamless, ongoing treatment — If you are diagnosed with MS, our team will develop a follow-up care plan that includes ongoing rehabilitation and symptom management as needed.
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2026-04-22.
