Intense tingling and burning sensations are harder to treat. In some cases, the physician may recommend codeine. As the disease progresses, some patients develop bladder malfunctions . Urinary problems are often the result of infections that can be treated with antibiotics. The physician may recommend that patients take vitamin C supplements or drink cranberry juice, as these measures acidify urine and may reduce the risk of further infections.
Several medications are also available.
The most common bladder problems encountered by MS patients are urinary frequency, urgency, or incontinence. A small number of patients, however, retain large amounts of urine. In these patients, catheterization may be necessary. Surgery may be indicated in severe, intractable cases. The pacemaker, which is surgically implanted, is controlled by a hand-held unit that allows the patient to electrically relax the nerves used for urine retention or contract those needed to empty the bladder.