What Is Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, the brain and spinal cord. It’s categorized under the autoimmune disease, because its symptoms, like the other autoimmune diseases is caused by the immune system destroying its own body’s tissue.
With MS this destruction occurs along the myelin sheath, which is the outer cover that protects nerve endings and our spinal cord. These damaged areas, which doctors refer to as lessons is unable to send the electrical impulses to our brain correctly. This creates the variety of symptoms. Some people diagnosed with MS may have lessons without any symptoms occurring.
Why Did I Get This Disease?
The cause for this disease is uncertain. Researchers speculate that emotional stress, genetics, trauma and infection might play a small part in the development of this disease and can execrate the symptoms.
How is it Diagnosed
To diagnose a person with MS the doctor could perform one of the three tests; MRI, Spinal tap, or evoked potential. I will explain a little about each below.
When a doctor preforms a spinal tap, he’ll take out fluid from the spinal canal. This liquid is then tested to see if there is antibodies and white blood cells present.
An MRI consists of you being placed in a large hollow tube. The radiologist will then take pictures of your brain and spinal cord. The doctor will look at the images to see if there is changes to your cortex, spinal cord, and white matter in the brain. He will also look for lessons.
Evoked potential is when the nerves are stimulated though either clicking sounds in the ear, or pictures. The brain’s electrical impulse response is then recorded and reviewed.
Why Do My Symptoms Vary?
The symptoms vary among suffers. It’s thought that this fluctuates is the result of lesion placement. Some of the most commonly seen problems include; neck pain, back pain, face pain, burning tingling in their arms and legs.
Someone might have difficulty walking due to poor balance, unsteady gait, tremors, weakness, or numbness in their extremities. They might have muscle spasms, fatigue, dizziness and possible loss of vision. A person might be incontinent of bowel and bladder. These symptoms may be intermittent, or continues.
What Are the Treatment Options?
Research shows that it’s important to start treatment right away. Many doctors believe the earlier the treatment begins the quicker the destruction can minimized.
Generally the choice medicines for MS include; Novantrone, Avonex, Betaseron, and Copaxone. Gabapentin or Baclofen is used to reduce pain and the possible neuropathy.
Sometimes doctors use drugs categorized under the chemotherapy drugs because they have less harmful side effects. Some of them include; Imuran, Methotrexate, Cellcept, Cyclophosphamide and Mitoxantron.
Since we are talking about drugs and treatments I’d like to add people suffering with MS shouldn’t receive any time of vaccine that contains a live virus.
Alternative Treatments
MS suffers often use a combination of alternative medicines along with the above pharmaceuticals. Some of them might include yoga, massages, counseling, acupuncture and meditation. Some use a relaxing hobby as ways to reduce stress, fatigue and pain. Swimming has also shown to decrease MS symptoms.
How Will My Disease Progress
Because there is such a variation in progress and symptoms, it’s hard to determine how the disease will progress. Although, research has shown that over 85% of people who have fewer disabilities in the first five years, will continue to have mobility for the following fifteen years. In fact, only 1/3 of people with MS who didn’t have treatment ended up needing mobile devices over twenty years.
Unlike so many other diseases, someone stuffing with MS has a normal life expectancy.
Can Food Make my Symptoms Worse?
Although there isn’t any conclusive findings, many people who suffer with MS find that eating healthy has improved their symptoms.
The first thing you should do is determine if you are allergic to certain foods. You can have your doctor run tests, or you can eliminate that food for a week, then slowly reintroduce in back, and see how your body reacts. Make sure you keep a diary of your findings, for future reference.
Although allergies vary, some of the most common are; dairy, gluten, additives, preservatives, soy, and chocolate.
It’s a good idea to boost your immune system, so your body will be able to destroy any secondary disorder, should it occur. You can do this by eating green leafy vegetables, and vegetables like spinach, broccoli, rhubarb, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, squash, carrots and butternut squash.
Fruits like watermelon, apples, apricot, cantaloupe, grapes, cherries, oranges, plums, papaya and berries have antitoxins as well.
It’s a good idea to avoid things that contain sugar, flour, yeast, processed foods and store bought baked goods. They have additives, preservatives, saturated fats and Trans fats, which are known to increase inflammation, swelling and pain
You should eat lean meats and fish. Fish has Omega 3 and Omega 6 which boosts your immune system. When you cook these foods use either olive oil, coconut oil, or canola oil. They don’t have the saturated fats like the other cooking oils do.
You should stay away from CNS stimulates like pop, coffee, and tobacco. Instead drink 8 glasses of water a day
Supplements
Omega 3, multivitamin, calcium supplement, COQ10, Acetyl-L, N acetyl, L-theanine, and melatonin for sleep.
For antioxidant you could include green tea, ginkgo, or Rhodiola. Before starting any of these supplements, please check with your doctor first. Some of them may have adverse reactions to some of the medicine you’re taking.
Quick Review
MS is an autoimmune disorder that affects the myelin sheath, which cause lesson to occur. These lessons create a variety of symptoms, depending on their location.
Treatment includes medicines to reduce the symptoms and its progression. There are also varies alternative medicines to help reduce the symptoms. With treatment, people with MS can live a long life.
