Are there four types of multiple sclerosis?

Answer 1

No, there are 5. Benign Multiple Sclerosis Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS) Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS) Malignant Multiple Sclerosis (Marburg Variant)

Answer 2

Yes, and they are differentiated by how the disease presents itself. There are two main classes of MS, "relapsing" forms and "progressive" forms.

The first relapsing form, the most common form of multiple sclerosis, is called "relapsing-remitting MS" or RRMS. Over 75% of all people diagnosed with MS have this form of the disease. This form of the disease is characterized by periods of worsening symptoms (called "relapses") followed by longer periods of lessening symptoms (called "remissions"). Relapses generally last from a few days to a few weeks and remissions can last for a few weeks to a few months. For persons taking the current MS medications, these times are not standard; relapses can be shorter, and periods of remission can be longer.

Another form of relapsing MS is called "progressive relapsing MS" or PRMS. This is a disease pattern which shows periods of relapse, followed by periods of less and less remission each time, so it appears that the disease remits less and less each time.

The primary version of the progressive forms of the disease is called "secondary progressive" MS or SPMS. Secondary progressive MS actually starts off as one of the relapsing forms of the disease, and then over time, the patient will gradually notice less and less periods of relapse/remission and only see a steady worsening of symptoms. Without medication, 50% of RRMS patients will move to SPMS within 10 years.

Another progressive form of the disease is called "primary progressive" MS, or PPMS. In this form of the disease, there are few, if any, quantifiable periods of relapse or remission, just a slow, steady worsening of symptoms. This is the least common form of MS.