How to treat multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a serious autoimmunechronic disease in which the immune system fails and begins to attack and destroy the nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord, considering them alien.

What is Multiple Sclerosis: Symptoms and Signs ^

It is known that all brain impulses are transmitted through nerve fibers that are covered with a special insulating fatty substance called myelin.

The myelin sheath is very important, because it allows you to transmit pulses at a huge speed - more than 100 meters per second, which is comparable with the speed of a good racing car. In addition to the transmission of nerve impulses, myelin performs a protective function and is involved in nerve cell nutrition.

Multiple sclerosis( MS) demyelinates the nerve fibers, that is, their exposure to myelin. As a result, the transmission of nerve impulses slows down sharply, causing "short circuits" in individual areas or even their complete blockage.

The sites on which myelin loss occurred is called a demyelinating focus or a plaque. Foci of damage, ranging in size from a few millimeters to several centimeters, can be located in different places, that is, "absent-mindedly", which gave the name of the disease.

Symptoms and symptoms of multiple sclerosis ^

The main symptoms of multiple sclerosis are:

• cerebellar motor disorders, which makes it difficult for the patient to run and walk, problems with balance keeping, coordination of movements, disorientation becomes unstable.

• lesion of the optic nerve, characterized by decreased visual acuity, transient blindness and a sense of fuzziness of images of surrounding objects.

• decrease or loss of sensitivity in the limbs - numbness, tingling, crawling. If you are worried about sudden muscle weakness in your limbs, for example, you can not tie your shoelaces or key in a keyhole, and these symptoms do not go away and last longer than 24 hours, you need to see a doctor immediately.

• neurotic disorders that cause problems with the administration of the body's functions - urinary retention and imperative urges( impossibility to contain the act of defecation).

• psychopathic changes - emotional instability, irritability, lethargy, intellectual decline, behavioral disorders, apathy, depression. Sometimes the first signs of multiple sclerosis can be vegeto-vascular dystonia, lesions of the facial, oculomotor or trigeminal nerve, as well as vegetative-endocrine disorders, which may result in menstrual irregularities in women and impotence in men. In the most severe cases of multiple sclerosis, even in a state of rest, a person can tremble hands, torso and head.

  In an overwhelming number of patients, the disease initially manifests itself in a weak form. Therefore, after the diagnosis, they usually have a full life for 10 to 15 years, move freely and work( only 5% of patients develop a severe form of disability during this time).After 10 years, the disease begins to intensify progressively, but the lifespan of multiple sclerosis practically does not affect, it does not differ from the usual.

  Causes of Multiple Sclerosis ^

  Causes of multiple sclerosis are currently not well understood, therefore, it is reliable to say why the immune system suddenly fails, it is difficult. MS is more common with women, mostly at the age of 20 -30 years, although the disease can affect people of older age and even children.

  
  
  
  
  

  Among the main risk factors for the development of the disease are the following:

  • hereditary predisposition and virus-carrying( Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus infection), especially if a person has had mononucleosis in childhood.
  • craniocerebral trauma;
  • transferred infections - rubella, measles, chickenpox, herpes, parotitis, influenza;
  • chronic intoxication - the incidence of multiple sclerosis is much higher in regions where the enterprises of the metallurgical, chemical and oil refining industry are concentrated;
  • living in northern regions with a shortage of sunlight, necessary for the production of vitamin D and the formation of the immune system. People living near the equator almost do not suffer from MS, but excessive sun exposure( insolation) is as harmful as inadequate;
  • improper diet - the predominance in the diet of animal products over vegetable and the excess of saturated fatty acids;
  • severe stress very often become a trigger mechanism for the development of the disease.

  Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis ^

  Because MS is a progressive disease, it is characterized by a series of rather long remissions( improvements) and exacerbations. But, despite the well-being and absence of symptoms, the treatment of multiple sclerosis should be started immediately, as soon as a diagnosis is made, because the treatment is most effective at an early stage of the disease.

  Therefore, early diagnosis of MS is of great importance. At present, there is a very accurate diagnostic technique that allows you to "look" into the human brain and spinal cord and see lesions.

  The most informative picture of the disease is given by magnetic resonance imaging( MRI), in which the patient is injected with a colorant that allows to see the places of demyelination. In some cases, to clarify the diagnosis of MS, you may need a spinal or lumbar puncture. As for the analysis of blood for multiple sclerosis, so far, unfortunately, does not exist.

  Sometimes a patient does not want to be treated, motivating his refusal by saying that he does not have anything to hurt. This is a very dangerous delusion - if the existing disease is not treated, it will necessarily progress. As a result, all new lesions will appear, neurological symptoms will increase, which ultimately leads to imminent disability and loss of ability to move.

  How to cure multiple sclerosis ^

  Active lifestyles - the best prevention of exacerbations of multiple sclerosis

  Unfortunately, at present it can not be said that multiple sclerosis can be cured. But, if 10 to 20 years ago the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis was a verdict and inevitably led to a wheelchair, now, thanks to modern drugs, the disease can be successfully managed, avoiding exacerbations and maintaining the usual quality of life.

  The timely starting treatment of multiple sclerosis is of paramount importance - the sooner it begins, the more likely the patient will not become a complete disability. On the pharmacological market, there are all new high-quality drugs that selectively destroy aggressive immune cells that provoke the disease or slow them down. If previously patients with MS had to do themselves daily injections to reduce attacks of the immune system, now, as a rule, one morning pill is enough.

  No less important task is to prevent exacerbations of the disease. For this, you need to be under constant supervision of the attending physician and take the necessary tests. Since all medicines have some side effects, only a competent specialist will be able to select you a medicine that will give a minimum of complications and will control your condition.

  Often, the results of the survey show the ineffectiveness of the therapy, despite the lack of clinical signs. In this case, a timely change in the treatment regimen helps to avoid future complaints and exacerbations.

  Treatment of multiple sclerosis with stem cells ^

  Treatment of RS by stem cells is usually carried out in good foreign clinics in Israel or Germany. In Russia, neurologists do not yet have sufficient experience in the process of stem cell transplantation, so patients often have relapses and exacerbations of the disease.

  The essence of stem cell treatment is as follows:

  1. First, the patient from the bone marrow is taken by his own stem cells and frozen, and the patient is given chemotherapy sessions and completely kills his immune system.
  2. After this, the stored stem cells are injected into the human blood, from where they again enter the bone marrow and form a new immune system.

  The described method of treatment, despite the prospects, is rather complicated and ambiguous and should be carried out only by experienced specialists. There are three main problems in its implementation:

  • , when collecting stem cells, a small number of immune cells are taken, which then return to the body, which is undesirable;
  • conducted chemotherapy does not act selectively, but kills everything - both good and bad cells;
  • because the "bad" immune cells to be destroyed are in the bone marrow, chemotherapy drugs can not destroy them completely, as it is difficult to get medicines there. Therefore, some of the bad cells can not be destroyed, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of the method.

  Multiple sclerosis and pregnancy ^

  Pregnancy in multiple sclerosis is not a contraindication. Moreover, some neurologists claim that pregnancy with MS is even useful.

  The fact that the hormone - prolactin, formed in the body in pregnant women, well restores the nerve cells and promotes the production of myelin. That is why women with multiple sclerosis, as a rule, feel great when they are pregnant.

  But, nevertheless, with this diagnosis, strict medical supervision and early antenatal care are necessary, especially if the patient has lost sensitivity and paralysis is marked. In such a case, a woman may not feel the moment of the onset of birth pains and artificial delivery of labor will be required.

  A breast-feeding, although not contraindicated, often provokes various exacerbations and worsening of the condition. Therefore, in order to avoid relapse, doctors often recommend switching to a parturient child for feeding the infant with mixtures.

  In addition, with MS it is very important to avoid unscheduled pregnancies, because abortion creates undesirable strong stress for the entire immune and endocrine systems, which can cause disease progression and deterioration.

  We also recommend that you read Vegeto's article - vascular dystonia in adults and children.

  Prevention of Multiple Sclerosis ^

  Prevention of multiple sclerosis includes the elimination of disease-provoking adverse factors and the timely conduct of anti-relapse treatment.

  • regularly conduct a doctor-appointed anti-relapse treatment, even in the absence of exacerbations, to prevent the emergence of new foci of demyelination and an increase in old ones. Anti-relapse treatment is usually performed twice a year: in spring and in autumn;
  • do not bathe in hot water and do not take too hot food. In addition, any thermal procedures( sauna, sauna, mud cure) should be avoided, since they can cause the appearance of new symptoms of the disease;
  • protect yourself from viral infections - with possible infection, especially if ARVI is ill with someone in the family, for prophylactic purposes, dip into the nose of interferon;
  • diet with multiple sclerosis must necessarily include polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3 contained in vegetable oils and fatty fish and limit the intake of animal fats. In addition, the diet should contain a sufficient amount of fresh fruits, vegetables and other plant foods;
  • exercise every day gymnastics - moderate exercise significantly alleviate the condition of the patient, as well stimulate the metabolism, creating favorable conditions for the restoration of damaged tissues. Especially shown are physical exercises for stretching and relaxation with high muscle tone;the main thing is that the loads are not excessive and be carried comfortably;
  • as much as possible protect yourself from stress, do not be nervous over trifles and do not overdo it.

  All patients suffering from MS disease invariably ask the most important question - how many live with multiple sclerosis?

  Doctors say that if you take into account the recommendations of your doctor, promptly tell him about all the changes in your health, timely implement the recommended anti-relapse treatment, eat right, lead an active lifestyle and protect yourself from viruses and stresses as much as possible, then you will be able to live healthyfull life, despite a formidable diagnosis.