Multiple Sclerosis
Top Apps for MS Patients
According to the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF), multiple sclerosis (MS), affects 2.5 million people worldwide. While there is no cure, there are several treatments available to help those with MS live a more comfortable life. Over the past few years, some have been turning to smartphone apps for MS management. Here are the 10 most popular.
Please note: Healthline Networks does not endorse or warrant for fitness of purpose any of these applications. These apps have not been evaluated for medical accuracy by Healthline Networks and unless otherwise indicated, haven’t been approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).
MS Diagnosis and Management
Android - 4.8 stars with 17 ratings - Free
iPhone - 4 stars with 13 ratings - Free
With any diagnosis, it's always important to arm yourself with information. MS is no different. The Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis & Management App features up-to-date information on the diagnosis, classification, and management of MS.
Developed in collaboration with the National MS Society, it relates symptoms, diagnostic criteria, the four disease courses — benign, relapsing remitting, secondary progressive, and primary progressive — and treatment strategies, and offers links to further resources for clinicians and patients.
Living Medical eTextbook: Multiple Sclerosis Edition
iPhone - 3.5 stars with 67 ratings - Free
The Living Medical eTextbook: Multiple Sclerosis Edition app provides extensive coverage of critical MS-related data including current therapies, emerging treatments, improved immunosuppression and immunomodulation treatment strategies, neuroprotection and neuroregeneration, and alternative therapies. This information is only enhanced by hyperlinks to external multimedia illustrations, videos, articles, and additional resources.
MSAA -- Multiple Sclerosis Self-Care Manager
iPhone - 4 stars with 17 ratings - Free
Backed by the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA), the My MS Manager app is a self-care application for the MS community that does what it claims. It helps users better manage their MS.
Putting your health records: lab results, conditions and allergies, list of medications, and side effects all in one place, it enables patients to get a better handle on their MS. With a provided health journal, it also lets you take valuable notes on your day-to-day symptoms and side effects that you can share with your healthcare professionals.
Momentum Magazine
iPhone - 4.5 stars with 27 ratings - Free
Android - 5 stars with 27 ratings - Free
Developed by the National MS Society, Momentum magazine is the most widely read MS-related publication in the world. From inspiring stories from MS patients to expert reports from specialists to recent advances in related research, this quarterly publication has it all.
With the Momentum Magazine by the National MS Society app, you'll receive all recent issues for download, and the ability to bookmark and share your comments on favorite stories. You'll also gain new updates from the magazine, including news stories, videos, and more.
Multiple Sclerosis - MedImage Cases
iPhone - 5 stars with 5 ratings - Free
You shouldn't have to be a doctor to gain access to more clinical MS-related information. Multiple Sclerosis - MedImage Cases brings you 26 biweekly MRI case presentations that'll shed light on such critical issues as disease activity, disease progression, and response to therapy, and guide practical therapeutic approaches.
What's more for patients, plagued with MS-related vision loss, this app offers audio commentary from renowned MRI experts. This is a great tool for physicians and patients looking for a deeper understanding of their condition.
Living with Multiple Sclerosis
Android - 3.9 stars with 10 ratings - Free
If you're one of the thousands of MS sufferers or someone who suspects you might have MS, you probably have questions; and let's face it, doctors aren't always the most accessible.
Enter the Living w Multiple Sclerosis Pv app. With it, you'll discover the different types of MS symptoms (some of which, like vision loss, imbalance, and fatigue, are commonly confused with other diseases), how to get a proper diagnosis, approved medications for controlling the disease, how to improve your quality of life, and more.
MS diagnosis
Android - 5 stars with 6 ratings - Free
No matter the condition, without a proper diagnosis, there is little chance for major improvements. To help physicians sharpen their diagnostic abilities of multiple sclerosis, the MS diagnosis app offers an interactive decision tree that guides the physician through the most recent criteria.
Developed by experts, this app allows neurologists to input information, while additional information is queried and responded to until a final conclusion on fulfillment of the criteria is yielded. The app also provides definitions and examples of key MS presentations.
EDSS Calculator
Android - 3.8 stars with 12 ratings
The Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) is a popular method for quantifying disability in MS. Using eight Functional Systems (FS), including pyramidal, cerebellar, brainstem, sensory, bowel and bladder, visual, cerebral, it allows neurologists to assign a Functional System Score (FSS) in each of these. A low score means the patient is fully ambulatory and a high score is assigned to patients with significant impairment in this area.
The EDSS Calculator app brings this important diagnostic tool, directly to physicians' smartphones. With it they can quickly and easily calculate where their patients fall on the scale.
Track My Shots
Android - 5 stars with 1 rating - Free
There are eight approved, long-term treatments for MS. Five of these — Betaseron, Avonex, Rebif, Extavia, and Copaxone — are immune system modulators, which either activate or suppress natural immune response as needed to normalize immune system function. These medications must be injected subcutaneously. But they're only effective if patients remember to take them.
Track My Shots is an app that helps ease the medication tracking of MS sufferers. Just input your information and this helpful app will allow you to track and record your injections, see your injection plan quickly, and receive alerts when your next shot is due.
MS Journal
iPhone - 4.5 stars with 6 ratings - Free
With so much to keep track of each day, it can be easy for the healthiest individuals to forget important tasks. For some suffering from MS, with impaired memories, helpful tracking tools have been developed to help them remember critical treatments such as injections and medications.
Developed for individuals or caregivers that are aiding with injections for MS, the MS Journal app allows for easy setup and features an injection countdown timer, medication reminders, and comments tracking. Finally, it will create detailed reports for you to share with your doctor.
Try an App for MS
Compared to some conditions, MS is a relatively enigmatic disease. We still don't know exactly what causes it, it is often misdiagnosed, individual prognosis is difficult to predict, and there is no cure.
But fortunately since the 1990s, the prognosis has taken a turn for the better with Food and Drug Administration approval of a series of medications (administered by injection, capsule, or IV) that have eased sufferers' symptoms and prevented complications, enabling them to lead a higher-quality, more fulfilling life.
Methodology
We selected these Multiple Sclerosis apps based on their potential to aid people with MS and their loved ones in a number of ways. Additional factors considered in selecting these apps included: user ratings, affordability, accessibility, format, functionality, and relevance to MS and its community's needs. Together, this collection represents the gamut of helpful iPhone and Android apps that are successfully designed to make life with MS more manageable.
