To describe the natural history of a condition or disease. To describe the natural history of a condition or disease. To determine effectiveness or cost effectiveness of treatments/services and/or health care products. To measure or monitor safety and harm. To measure quality of care.
According to the NMSS, attacks or flare-ups of symptoms only qualify as exacerbations if: 1  they occur at least 30 days from an earlier flare-up. 2  symptoms last for 24 hours or longer.
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD. Call it a flare-up, an exacerbation, an attack, or a relapse. Whatever you call it, it's not something you expect. When you have relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), you can go days or years without major changes in your symptoms. Then, suddenly, things change. You'll work closely with your doctor to feel better. You can also reset your schedule to take special care of yourself.