During the last decade interest in multiple sclerosis (MS) has increased exponentially. We have witnessed significant advances in understanding pathogenesis, development of better methods for diagnosis and monitoring the disease, and also the introduction of partially effective treatments that allow to reduce the number of relapses, and also to some extent to slow down disease progression.
Despite these achievements and others expected in the near future, multiple sclerosis remains a significant burden for those afflicted. Significant burden means increasing impairment and disability, increasing impact on working capacity, but also on the social and especially familiar network. It is therefore especially important, but also frequently rewarding, that we, caring physicians and other professionals involved in management of MS patients, pay attention to MS symptoms, assess and treat these adequately.
Three contributions in this issue of Schweizer Archiv für Neurologie und Psychiatrie are devoted to assessment and management of very important aspects of multiple sclerosis symptomatology:
J. Humburg,W. Holzgreve and E.Wight describe bladder disturbances and provide important insights for daily management.
I.-K. Penner and R. Schläger provide a review of problems in diagnosis, but also attempts to treat the still not really understood phenomenon of MS-related fatigue.
B. Steck and colleagues, drawing from a comprehensive project they thoroughly conducted during the last years with MS patients and their families, provide a review about the interaction disease – family in multiple sclerosis.
Together these three contributions add to our understanding of the complexity of multiple sclerosis as a disease and will hopefully also inform some of the readers’ diagnostic and therapeutic decisions.
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