le sclerosis can put many unwanted pressures on family life. A patient struggling with MS may encounter many psychological changes. These changes may alter the patient’s memory, and his or her attitude towards the rest of one’s family. These variations may make a family feel as if they do not even know their loved one anymore. Multiple sclerosis can also put stress on a marriage. The spouse of a patient may begin to feel as if he or she were “being on call”, or the MS patient may feel as if he or she were “being a bother.” These effects can put a strain on a couple’s normal emotional life. This disease may also put a strain on a family’s financial situation also. With the average annual cost for services and drugs being between $20,000 to $25,000, the prices of care taking can put a huge damper on a family’s checkbook. Medicines can account for about half of that cost, with the average annual cost for medications being around $10,000. Yet the prices for medications will still increase with the development of new drugs.Although a cure has not been found for multiple sclerosis, researchers are developing new drugs to treat the disease each and every day. Traditional drugs have been around for a long time, but all they do is put a damper on some symptoms for a short period of time. The new drugs being developed are made in hopes of curing multiple sclerosis, and many of these have a great affect on the body. The most affective drugs out on the market now are beta-interferons. Beta-interferons are the newest general type of drugs being produced to treat multiple sclerosis. If beta-interferons, such as Avonex, are used very early in diagnosis, then patients may do better. The likelihood of stopping the disease becomes less and lesser as time goes on. However, with the help of Avonex, the gradual loss of brain tissue can be prevented. Avonex has also been proven to s...
