Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). CNS is made up of brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.

Multiple Sclerosis is caused by a disturbance of immune function. Generally, the antibodies produced by the immune system help protect the body against invaders of the human body (viruses, bacteria etc). In this condition, the disturbance allows cells of the immune system to attack myelin, the insulating sheath surrounding the nerve fibers (axons) located in the CNS which helps messages (electrical impulses) travel quickly and smoothly between the brain and the rest of the body. When the myelin is damaged, electrical impulses cannot travel quickly along the never fiber pathways in the brain and spinal cord. The loss of myelin is called demyelination. The disruption caused to electrical conductivity results in fatigue and disturbances of vision, strength, co-ordination, balance, sensation and bladder & bowel functions.

The situation produced my demyelination can be better understood by taking an example of an electrical lamp. When the insulating surface, surrounding an electric lamp cord, is disrupted by cracks or tears on it, the lamp will short circuit and the light bulb will flicker or no longer illuminate. Similarly, loss of myelin sheath surrounding the nerve fibers results in short circuits in nerves traversing the brain and spinal cord, hence resulting in the symptoms of MS. As oppose to a single wire pathway in a lamp cord, there are numerous nerve pathways in the brain and the spinal cord .i.e. CNS. The damage to myelin – resulting in dense, scar like tissue, occur in many places throughout CNS, hence the name ‘Multiple Sclerosis’ or many scars.

There are 4 types of MS. Their names are according to the way the disease acts on the body over time. They are:

• Relapsing Remitting MS (RRMS) – It is the most common disease course, characterized by clearly defined attacks of worsening neurological function. People with RRMS have temporary periods called relapses, flare-ups or exacerbations- are followed by partial or complete recovery periods (remissions), during which symptoms improve partially or completely and there is no apparent progression of disease. About 85% of people with MS are initially diagnosed with RRMS.
• Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) – SPMS follows after the relapsing-remitting course. In SPMS, symptoms worsen steadily over time, with or without the occurrence of relapses or remissions. Most people who are initially diagnosed with RRMS will eventually transition to SPMS.
• Primary Progressive MS (PPMS) – This type of MS is not very common. It is characterized by slowly worsening the symptoms from the beginning with no relapses or remissions. About 10 percent of people with MS are diagnosed with PPMS.
• Progressive Relapsing MS (PRMS) – It is the least common of the four disease course and is characterized by steadily progressing disease from the beginning and occasional exacerbations along the way. People with this form of MS may or may not experience some recovery following these attacks; the disease continues to progress without remissions. About 5% of people with MS are diagnosed with PRMS.

Causes

Multiple Sclerosis is most commonly diagnosed between 20 to 50 years of age, although onset may be earlier. While anyone can get MS, it is 2 to 3 times more common in women than in men. In the US, approximately 10,000 to 15,000 new cases of MS are diagnosed every year. Around 2.5 million people have been diagnosed with MS, worldwide.

Although the exact cause of MS may remain unknown, but studies suggest that a combination of several factors may be involved.

• Environmental & Immunological Factor

The environmental theory proposes that an environmental factor triggers the immune system to cause the symptoms of MS. Studies have explored the possibility that exposure to viral or bacterial infections, environmental toxins, duration of sunlight, changes in temperature and humidity, or diet might in some way produce or aggravate MS.

The immune system appears to go out of control and attack the myelin sheath. Mainstream medicine usually sees this as an immune system malfunction, but actually the immune system is working just fine. The immune system’s job is to distinguish self – that which belongs in the human body – from non-self; the immune system then does its best to destroy that which is non-self and doesn’t belong and can cause harm.

The problem occurs when the body’s own cells combine with something else, forming a self/non-self hybrid that the immune system goes after. If these outside toxins combine with nerve cells and the immune system attacks the damaged cells, lesions or damage occur on the myelin and MS symptoms can result.

• Exposure to Heavy Metals – One of the biggest culprits is the toxic metal mercury, which is especially attracted to the brain and to nerve cells. Its greatest source is usually right in your own mouth, in the form of those silver to black metal fillings. Studies suggest that dental workers have a much higher incidence of MS than the general population due to their greater mercury exposure.
• Harmful Chemicals – Chemicals present in pesticides and solvents are oil-soluble, and the myelin sheath is mostly fat and hence these chemicals are attracted to it. These chemicals combine with the myelin, causing the kind of immune system attack as described earlier.
• Dental Cause – Mercury poisoning is not the only problem that can be caused by metal fillings. Metal in the mouth can cause the Battery Effect, in which a mixture of metals combined with saliva can put out measurable electrical charges. Since the nervous system is electrical, these opposing, random charges can stimulate and disrupt nervous system signals. Fluoride found in most water supplies and added deliberately for the unproven purpose of preventing cavities, is a nerve poison. It is best to drink filtered water and to not use fluoride toothpaste, supplements, or dental treatments.
• Viral and Other Infectious Agents – Research and studies show that common virus or other infectious agent may play a role in the cause of MS. Environmental studies suggest that some factor – probably infectious – must be encountered before the age of 15 in order for MS to develop later in life. Several viruses and bacteria, including Epstein-Barr, Chlamydia, pneumonia, measles, canine distemper, and human herpes virus-6 have been or are being studied to determine if they may trigger MS.
• Vitamin D Deficiency – Vitamin D plays a role in the body’s immune and nervous systems and how they work. Studies suggest that children who are exposed to s of sun are less likely to develop MS than someone who grows up in a place where there is little sun.
• Mycotoxins – Patients with autoimmune disease are actually living or working in environments that have toxic mold. Toxic molds produce mycotoxins, which are volatile organic compounds (VOC), which can be toxic to genetically susceptible people.
• Leaky Gut – In order to absorb nutrients, the gut is somewhat permeable to very small molecules. Many things including, gluten, infections, medications and stress can damage the gut, allowing toxins, microbes and undigested food particles – among other things – directly into your bloodstream. Leaky gut is the gateway for these infections, toxins and foods like gluten to begin to cause systemic inflammation that leads to autoimmunity.
• Gluten – Gluten is a huge problem for most people these days because we hybridized it, modified it and it’s in everything. The most severe of all is that, it can wreak havoc on the gut and set the body up for a leaky gut. Once the gut is leaky, gluten can get into the bloodstream and confuse the body’s immune system. When the proteins in the consumed food resemble the proteins that make up myelin, the immune system can get confused and accidentally attack the myelin coating your nerves. This process is called molecular mimicry and can occur with inflammatory foods like gluten and dairy.

• Genetic Factors

Though MS is not hereditary, having a first degree relative i.e. parent or sibling with MS condition may significantly increase an individual’s chances of developing MS. Studies suggest that there is a higher prevalence of certain genes in populations with higher rates of MS. Similar genetic factors have been found in some families where there is more than one patient with MS.

The most significant genetic link to MS has been identified in the major histocompatability complex (MHC), a cluster of genes on chromosome 6 that are essential for immune system function. Rare MS cases may be due to variations in interleukin-7 (IL-7) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene receptors, which are also related to immune system regulation.

Symptoms

The symptoms of multiple sclerosis depend largely on which particular nerve fiber pathway is involved in the CNS. Tingling, numbness, sensations of tightness, or weakness may result when loss of myelin occurs in the spinal cord. If the nerve fibers to the bladder are affected, urinary incontinence may follow. If the cerebellum of the brain is affected, imbalance or incoordination may result. Since the plaques of MS can arise in any location of the CNS, it is easy to understand why no two MS patients have exactly the same symptoms.

The symptoms are divided into 3 following parts:

1. More Common Symptoms
   • Fatigue
   • Numbness or Tingling
   • Weakness
   • Dizziness & Vertigo
   • Walking Difficulties
   • Spasticity – Refers to feelings of stiffness and a wide range of involuntary muscle spasms; can occur in any limb, but it is much more common in the legs.
   • Vision Problems
   • Bladder & Bowel Problems
   • Cognitive Changes – Refers to a range of high-level brain functions affected in 50% of people with MS, including the ability to learn and remember information, organize and problem-solve, focus attention and accurately perceive the environment.
   • Depression
   • Sexual Problems
   • Emotional Changes 

2. Less Common Symptoms
   • Speech Problems
   • Swallowing Problems
   • Tremor – Respiration problems occur in people whose chest muscles have been severely weakened by damage to the nerves that control those muscles.
   • Itching
   • Headache
   • Hearing loss

3. Secondary & Tertiary Symptoms
   • Bladder dysfunction can cause repeated urinary tract infections.
   • Inactivity can result in loss of muscle tone and disuse weakness (not related to demyelination), poor postural alignment and trunk control, decreased bone density (and resulting increased risk of fracture), and shallow, inefficient breathing
   • Immobility can lead to pressure sores.
   • Social, Vocational and Psychological complications

Treatment for MS 

• Conventional Medicine

Conventional medication focuses only on treating the symptoms and not on getting out the root cause of the disease.            Most drugs available in the market are designed to slow down the development of the disease and reduce the number of relapses rather than treating the root cause.

• Interferons – Avonex, Betaseron, Extavia, and Rebif are all interferon beta products. The interferon drugs seal off the blood brain barrier and inhibit the T-lymphocytes (T cells) – type of white blood cell that circulate around our bodies, scanning for cellular abnormalities and infections, from being activated. This prevents the T cells from entering the central nervous system and destroying myelin, and ultimately the nerve axons.
• Capaxone – The struacture of capaxone is similar to that of myelin protein. The effects of this drug are usually less dramatic than the interferon, but the side effects only include chest pain, shortness of breath, and flushing.
• Tysabri – Tysabri was the first humanized monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of MS. Tysabri works by blocking the receptors on white blood cells that allow them to enter the brain and spinal cord.
• Lemtrada – Lemtrada is administered as intravenous infusions – for five consecutive days initially and for three consecutive days one year later. Because of its safety profile, Lemtrada should generally be reserved for people who have had an inadequate response to two or more MS therapies.
• Aubagio – Aubagio (teriflunomide) is a pyrimidine synthesis inhibitor that inhibits the function of specific immune cells that have been implicated in MS. The prescribing information contains a boxed warning about the potential for liver damage in the parent compound (leflunomide). Also, Aubagio should not be used during pregnancy.

These drugs have different mechanisms of action and unique side effect profiles.

Functional Treatment

At our center, we study the patient’s entire medical history and perform Comprehensive Diagnostic workup which gives us the root cause of the disease.

• Chelation Therapy – We are exposed to heavy metals in a number of different ways: amalgams, fish consumption, and the environment. It is one of the causes of MS. The Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine specializes in safely treating toxicity from heavy metals such as lead and mercury. It involves detoxifying our body from all the heavy harmful metals.
• Removing Gluten from the diet – People with MS should completely remove gluten from their diet as its simply an inflammatory food.
• Total Body Stress Load – The body’s total stress load is derived from multiple sources including allergies, exposure to toxins, infections, and emotional stresses. It is important to evaluate and manage all factors of the total stress load if we are to regain and maintain our health.  The old saying “the straw that broke the camel’s back” appropriately illustrates this concept, as we envision the camel as the body and the straw as the stresses.
• Healing the Gut – Healing the gut is very essential for healing the disease.
• Immune System Support – Supplements like vitamin D, omega-3 fish oils, and glutathione are powerful immune modulators, which means that they can help support the immune system. Vitamin D has been shown to help regulate the immune system. Omega 3 fish oils help to reduce inflammation in the entire body. Glutathione is the most powerful antioxidant in the body which can help reduce inflammation and improve detoxification in the body.

The treatment method also includes the following:

• Acupuncture and acupressure
• Alexander Technique
• Aromatherapy
• Chiropractic
• Cannabis and cannabis extracts
• Herbal medicine
• Honey bee venom
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• Homeopathy
• Massage
• Reiki
• Relaxation and meditation
• Shiatsu
• T’ai chi

At our center, we find the root cause of your illness and reverse your disease. You say Multiple Sclerosis, we say It can be cured…