This attack, sometimes referred to as an exacerbation of multiple sclerosis, typically lasts more than 24 hours and generally more than a few weeks (rarely more than four weeks).About 65%-80% of individuals begin with relapsing-remitting (RR) MS, the most common type.About 50% of RR-MS individuals will develop SP-MS within 10 years.
During an attack, a person experiences a sudden deterioration in normal physical abilities that may range from mild to severe.About 10%-20% of individuals begin with PP-MS.Over several decades, most RR-MS persons will experience progression to SP-MS.There are different clinical manifestations of multiple sclerosis.It may be weeks to decades between relapses.
In primary-progressive (PP) MS, there is a continuous, gradual decline in a person's physical abilities from the outset rather than relapses.Progressive-Relapsing (PR) MS is a type of multiple sclerosis characterized by a steady decline in abilities accompanied by sporadic attacks.
Those beginning with RR-MS can then enter a phase where relapses are rare but more disability accumulates, and are said to have secondary-progressive (SP) MS.There are cases of multiple sclerosis that are mild and can be recognized only retrospectively after many years and also rare cases of extremely rapid progression of multiple sclerosis symptoms (sometimes fatal) known as malignant or fulminant (Marburg variant) multiple sclerosis.
In this type, they experience a series of attacks followed by complete or partial disappearance of the symptoms (remission) until another attack occurs (relapse).