Multiple Sclerosis

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple Sclerosis is a lingering provocative disease that caused by inflammation and demyelination of neurons. This chronic illness impacts the central and peripheral nervous systems causing a significant damage to the whole body in general.
Multiple Sclerosis SymptomsEncephalomyelitis disseminata – the scientific name for Multiple Sclerosis attacks a person’s cerebrum and vertebral column. It injures the myelin cover of neurons, the substance that shields and defends neurons.

These cells normally transport the evidence of the physical condition of each part and organ of the human’s body in the form of electric impulses. The brain controls the whole body based on signals received from organs. MS impacts these cells inside of the cerebrum and medulla spinalis. As a result of the attack, the Multiple Sclerosis impacts the myelin and destroys it. Myelin is the layer of the neuron that actually transmits signals from all over the body to the brain and spinal cord. When MS bout against the neurons the destruction of myelin called demyelination. The demyelination usually happens in patches located in the different parts of Nervous System. The more patches created – the worse is patient’s condition. Without a healthy layer of myelin, a nerve cannot conduct the electrical signals to and from the central brain and vertebral spine. When motor nerves have impacted the ability to move decreases, when sensory nerves are under attack patient may lose the sensation of smell, taste, temperature.

Multiple Sclerosis term speaks of the multiple wounds on the myelin layer of the nerve. Bouts by an immune system on person’s own nerves tissue represent the pathophysiological mechanism of MS – the autoimmune illness.

There are a few different forms of Multiple Sclerosis

  • Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS)

RRMS – a major form of the disease, which happens in 85% of MS cases. RRMS described as a form of Multiple Sclerosis when a patient’s condition is worsening after each new bout of the disease. These bouts are also known as relapses that happen once in a few months. After the relapses usually remission of the illness takes place and patient’s condition may stabilize or even partially improve.

  • Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS)

This form of Multiple Sclerosis trails after the occurrence of relapse-remission cycle. The most common form of MS – RRMS at some point usually switches SPMS.

  • Primary-progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS)

This type of Multiple Sclerosis is usually categorized by the gradually deteriorating condition. There are no relapses or remissions in PPMS cycle. It’s just a slow running chronic condition. We see this form of Multiple Sclerosis in approximately 10 % of cases.

  • Progressive-relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (PRMS)

From four forms of Multiple Sclerosis PRMS is the rarest one. Patients who are suffering from this form of disease experience non-stop progressing of symptoms with no phases of recovery or remissions.

There is not enough knowledge about what causes Multiple Sclerosis and how it damages the myelin layer of the neurons. MS first and foremost attacks mature people, and is seen more usual in females than in males.

There are many different symptoms that Multiple Sclerosis patients may experience. Individuals with MS may experience a wide variety of symptoms. First MS bout is usually not aggressive and stops in a few days by itself without any special medical attention. People don’t even consider it as something significant that requires special attention. When family doctor or neurologist sees a patient first time for this illness the disease is already “well-developed”.

The main patients’ complaints about Multiple Sclerosis are:

  • Difference in sensitivity in the upper and lower limbs or face;
  • Complete or partial blindness due to optic neuritis;
  • Faintness;
  • Diplopia;
  • Instability while walking;
  • Dizziness and loss of balance.

About half of patients experience several symptoms simultaneously when they see a doctor first-time due Multiple Sclerosis.

During initial assessments in MS clinic physician usually discovers the following signs:

  • Horizontal or vertical movements of eyes aka nystagmus;
  • Speaking problems;
  • Trembling;
  • Ineptness of wrists;
  • Unusual muscle contraction
  • Urination problems
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Irrational behavior

Many Multiple Sclerosis patients also experience:

  • Difficulties to multitask;
  • Inability to follow instructions;
  • Amnesia;
  • Emotional shakiness;
  • Weakness.

What Causes Multiple Sclerosis?

The most prevalent theory states that a virus-related contamination or retroviral recurrence stimulates a vulnerable immune system for atypical responses.

Another hypothesis bases on a statistic that MS is more often registered in people that live far from the equator, which probably means that the deficiency of the sunlight causes a decrease in Vitamin D production. MS is not a Vitamin D insufficiency, but this deficit could be a strong risk factor for MS.

Prognosis for Multiple Sclerosis

  • The prognosis for Multiple Sclerosis patient usually determined by the form of illness, the patient’s gender, skin color, stage of development and initial signs. The life expectancy in case of RRMS is high if modern methods of treatment are applied.
  • Patients, who suffer from a progressive form of Multiple Sclerosis (PRMS), experience faster development of the illness and earlier disability.
  • Multiple Sclerosis that starts in the earlier stages of life develops slower. Patients, who were diagnosed with MS before age of 30 have the best prognosis. Contrary, patients who got sick in their fifties or older usually experience the progressive form of the MS and become disabled in a few years.
  • Men have a worse prognosis than women.
  • If first symptoms of MS were a binocular vision, diplopia or change in sensitivity (lack of feeling, tickling, pricking) the prognosis is better than if initial symptoms were a weakness,  prognosis but difficult walking and weakness, faintness or muscle atrophy in arms and legs.

Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis

Western conventional medicine does not have a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. Some individuals feel OK without any therapy at all. In cases of Multiple Sclerosis when intensive treatment is required medical practitioner may consider the following:

  • Recently FDA approved 3 types of beta-interferon, which reduce the pace of the Multiple Sclerosis progression and decrease the number of relapses during the period of time.
  • Another recently approved drug is Copaxone aka “Copolymer I”. In a clinical trial, Copaxone reduced the frequency of relapses by 30-35%.
  • Immunosuppressant Novantrone slows down the progress of Multiple Sclerosis and approved for most progressive forms of the disease (PPMS and PRMS).
  • Muscular spasm and stiffness can be relieved with Sedatives (clonazepam, Phenazepam, etc.)
  • Physical therapy helps to reduce the level of muscles’ contraction and along with exercises may be beneficial as a part of complex treatment.
  • In order to save for as long as possible the existing mobility functions, patients may use walking sticks, strollers, walkers, etc. These aids may help Multiple Sclerosis patients to be autonomous for a longer time.

Holistic approach to Multiple Sclerosis

Different techniques of Holistic Medicine may appear beneficial in the complex treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. The holistic techniques most often used in MS clinic are:

  • Acupuncture;

Clinical studies proved that acupuncture significantly reduces the pace of MS development.

  • Homeopathy;

“Like cures Like” medicine cures the individual as a complete organism. Opposite to conventional pharmaceutical drugs homeopathy concentrates on the person as a complete live system, in which all organs work as a together as a single mechanism. The homeopathic remedies are carefully chosen as a result of the complete personalized evaluation, based on detailed medical history, somatic and emotional constituents, habits, modalities, etc.

  • Tai-Chi;

This method generally works as physical exercises that are necessary to preserve remaining physical abilities.

  • Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy in Multiple Sclerosis is definitely not a method of treatment, but the greatest tool to keep patient goal oriented and prevent an individual from developing a depression, which is a very common symptom in MS.

Each of these methods used for a different purpose as a part of multipart treatment.

Lately, The American Academy of Neurology published recommendations on the practice of holistic medicine in MS.

Doctor Tsan performs treatment of MS at Viva Healthy Life using different holistic techniques. Alcohol had ruined my life several times. I was let off jobs, I couldn’t stay loyal to my wife, and I used to get mad over small things with my children. The first few times I tried quitting, I wasn’t really trying. Drinking was all I cared about. At a more recent point of my life, though, I realized that the withdrawal effects of alcohol were the main thing holding me back. https://www.childrenslymenetwork.org/children-lyme/valium-online/ highlighted that Valium is perfect for cases like I mine. I reached out to our family doctor, and he said that I should take it if I was serious about quitting. I am not saying it was easy, but I’ve been sober close to a year. Being internationally famous hypnotherapist Dr. Tsan usually includes this method in a treatment program to keep patient’s mood, emotional state and goal orientation on a proper level.

Many patients with different forms of Multiple Sclerosis underwent complex alternative treatment at Viva Healthy Life and approximately 70-75% of them reported physical and mental improvement.

To set up an appointment for an initial FREE consultation with Dr. Tsan and find out if this treatment may be beneficial for you use the widget below and chose Initial Consultation as a requested service.