How to Reverse Multiple Sclerosis

Natural Protocols to Beat MS

We often use the word “disease” to denote a “syndrome” or collection of symptoms. To define a disease requires that we know the cause of the symptoms. Thus, correctly stated, multiple sclerosis is not a disease, but rather a syndrome. The causes are not one, but many, making it difficult to find a single cause for all the symptoms that we call Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Because MS affects the nervous system it can have effects anywhere in the body on any function of the body. Some people have terrible pain, others get numbness. Some have weakness of certain muscles, while others have brain dysfunction and memory impairment. Commonly, people with classical MS get visual disturbances such as blindness or double vision.

Four disease courses have been identified in multiple sclerosis:

• Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS)
• Primary-progressive MS (PPMS)
• Secondary-progressive MS (SPMS)
• Progressive-relapsing MS

Each of these disease courses might be mild, moderate or severe.[1]

Neurological problems that resolve in a matter of days to months, but then recur in other areas characterize relapsing-remitting. Thus, for example, a person with RRMS may have weakness in the left leg for months which then resolves, and later get double vision, only later to get pain in the other leg. These MS patients usually go on to develop a progressive form.

Progressive MS is exactly as it sounds. The disabilities don’t resolve, but rather continue as new ones are added. This usually leads to paralysis, pain, and even mental dysfunction.

Multiple Sclerosis Causes

There seem to be multiple factors involved in the cause of the symptoms of MS. These may include:

• Genetic – Generally, close family members have a higher risk of MS that may not be due to environmental factors. For instance, an identical twin of someone with MS has a 1 in 4 chance of developing MS. However, fraternal twins have about a 1 in 40 risk, the same as other family members. The general population has about a 1 in 1000 risk.
• Autoimmune – The debate over MS as an autoimmune disease rages. There is definitely inflammation in the brain, but specific antibodies are hard to consistently find.
• Nutrient deficiencies – The fact that MS attacks happen more in the winter may indicate a vitamin D deficiency, but no causal relationship has been shown. Vitamin D is also an important immune system activator and may prevent viral illnesses.
• Infectious diseases – Viral antigens have been found in the spinal fluid of people with MS, but not consistently enough to assure a causal relationship.

Mainstream Medical Treatments for MS

There are several MS drugs on the market that are approved by the FDA for treatment of MS.

Disease-modifying drugs that have been shown to reduce exacerbations and slow the progression of MS include:

• Avonex (interferon beta-1a)
• Rebif (interferon beta-1a)
• Betaseron and Extavia (interferon beta-1b)
• Copaxone (glatiramer acetate)
• Novantrone (mitoxantrone)
• Tysabri (natalizumab)
• Aubagio (teriflunomide)
• Gilenya (fingolimod)
• Lemtrada (alemtuzumab)
• Plegridy (peginterferon beta-1a)
• Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate or DMF)
• Ampyra (dalfampridine)[2]

These MS drugs clearly state that although they may decrease the number of relapses, they don’t cure the disease. Some people have good results from using them, but eventually progress with more MS complications anyway. Plus, many of the drugs have side-effects that are more harmful than the disease. I recommend people use drugs for symptomatic relief, if needed, while they are working on reversing the illness.

Alternative Medical Treatments for MS

I’m not going to discuss each alternative MS treatment here, because my purpose is to reverse the disease, and not to put a Band-Aid on it. The use of these protocols should be in consultation with a doctor who can prescribe it.