CONDITION: Multiple Sclerosis
DESCRIPTION:
In multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disorder, the body's immune system attacks the nervous system.
As a result, nerves in the brain and spinal cord become damaged, causing a
wide range of symptoms that affect sensation, movement, body functions and
balance. MS is the most common nervous system disorder affecting young adults.
In the US, there are 25,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
How does multiple sclerosis develop?
The central nervous system comprises millions of nerve cells joined by nerve
fibers. Electrical impulses originate in nerve cells and travel along the
nerve fibers to and from the brain. Myelin, a fatty substance, coats and
protects the fibers, similar to the way insulation shields electrical wires.
Before symptoms of MS develop, immune cells flood into the central nervous
system. These cells normally circulate into and out of the brain, checking
for viruses and helping to fight disease. With MS, the immune cells mistakenly
destroy the cells that produce the myelin sheath.
Myelin becomes inflamed, swollen and detached from the fibers, and eventually
is destroyed. Firm or hardened (sclerosed) patches of scar tissue form over
the fibers. When nerve impulses reach a damaged area, some impulses are blocked
or delayed from traveling to or from the brain. Ultimately, this process leads
to degeneration of the nerves themselves, which likely accounts for the permanent
disabilities that develop among persons with MS.
What are the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
In many people with MS, symptoms occur intermittently and may be followed by
long periods of remission. However, some people have chronic symptoms that
gradually get worse. Symptoms may occur singly in the initial stages and
in combination as the disorder progresses. They may include blurry vision,
numbness or tingling in any part of the body, fatigue, weakness and a feeling
of heaviness in the legs or arms, problems with coordination and balance,
such as an unsteady gait and slurred speech.
Conventional medical treatments may help relieve the
symptoms of multiple sclerosis but they do not address
the root of the problem. Generally, by undergoing comprehensive natural medicine
testing, the reasons the body is producing antibodies against itself can be
found. Some of these reasons include sensitivities or allergies to foods, inhalants
and chemicals and various infections.
Discover why we believe that natural medicine treatments
are the best way to treat multiple sclerosis.
Learn about the treatments for
Multiple Sclerosis
|
