Multiple Sclerosis
help
Nerve fibers inside and outside the brain are wrapped with many layers of
insulation called the myelin sheath. Much like the insulation around an electrical wire,
the myelin sheath permits electrical impulses to be conducted along the nerve fiber with
speed and accuracy. When myelin is damaged, nerves don't conduct impulses properly.
Multiple sclerosis is a disorder in which the nerves of the eye, brain, and spinal cord
lose patches of myelin.
Definition of
multiple sclerosis
The term multiple sclerosis comes from the multiple areas
of scarring (sclerosis) that represent many patches of demyelination in the nervous
system. The possible neurologic signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis are so diverse
that doctors may miss the diagnosis when the first symptoms appear. While the disease
often worsens slowly over time, affected people usually have periods of relatively good
health (remissions) alternating with debilitating flare-ups (exacerbations). About 400,000
Americans, mostly young adults, have the disease.
Cognitive impairment occurs during multiple sclerosis (MS) and
contributes to the burden of the disease
Natural help for multiple
sclerosis
Curcumin may block
the progression of multiple sclerosis. Curcumin
is available at Physician Formulas
Possible triggers for Multiple Sclerosis
On-the-job exposure to organic solvents may increase a person's risk of
developing MS. Infection with a common bacteria known as C. pneumoniae
may increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis.
Multiple
Sclerosis Medical therapy
Injectable beta-interferon, a relatively new treatment, reduces the frequency of
relapses. Other promising treatments still under investigation include other interferons,
oral myelin, and glatiramer to help keep the body from attacking its own myelin. The
benefits of plasmapheresis and intravenous gamma globulins haven't been established, and
these treatments aren't practical for long-term therapy.
Corticosteroids such as prednisone taken by mouth or methylprednisolone
given intravenously for short periods to relieve acute symptoms have been the main form of
therapy for decades.
Psychological
factors in multiple sclerosis
Several psychological disorders occur in patients with
multiple sclerosis.
Depression is the predominant psychological disturbance with lifetime prevalence
around 50 percent. Depression is more common during relapses and it may
exacerbate fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. Anxiety is also frequent, occurs
in newly diagnosed patients, and its co-morbidity with depression has been
suggested to increase the rate of suicidal ideation. In some cases severe stress
may trigger multiple sclerosis symptoms.
Multiple
Sclerosis questions
Q. Finally. some hope,. Just came off Copaxone for
multiple sclerosis.
Need any info on natural methods for treatment.
A. We will update this page regarding natural treatment for
multiple sclerosis.
for more links of interest, see shipping page