Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic progressive disease with a variety of cognitive, motor and sensory deficits. It is characterized by demyelination of axons of the brain and spinal cord where the patient presents with the complaints of blurred or double vision, lack of coordination, loss of balance, numbness and tremors throughout the body or extremities with weakness,muscle spasm etc.

  Within the CNS, immune system cause inflammation that damages myelin – the fatty substance that surround and insulates the nerve fibers, as well as the nerve fiber themselves,and the specialized cells that make myelin.

• When myelin or nerve fiber are damaged or destroyed in MS, messages within the CNS are altered or stopped completely.
• Damage to the areas of CNS may produce a variety of neurological symptoms that will vary among people with MS in type and severity
• The damaged areas develop scar tissue which gives the disease its name – multiple areas of scarring or multiple sclerosis.
• The cause of MS is not known but it is believed to involve genetic susceptibility, abnormalities in the immune system and environmental factors that combine to trigger the disease.

In Ayurveda, it can be considered as Avaranaja Vatavyadhi.

Signs and symptoms:

MS signs and symptoms may differ greatly from person to person and over the course of the disease depending on the location of affected nerve fiber.

Symptoms may include:

• Muscle weakness
• Numbness and tingling sensation of body
• Electric shock sensations that occur with certain neck movements, especially bending neck forward ( Lhermitte sign)
• Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait
• Problems with sexual,bowel and bladder functions
• Fatigue
• Dizziness and vertigo
• Spasticity and muscle spasm
• Vision problems such as double vision or blurred vision, partial or total vision loss or red green distortion
• Emotional changes and depression
• Learning and memory problems such as difficulty to concentrates, plan, learn,prioritize and multitask
• Neuropathic pain

Less common symptoms include:

• Headache
• Hearing loss
• Itching
• Respiratory problem
• Seizures
• Speech disorder
• Swallowing problems

Treatments:

4 to 8 weeks of admission is required to treat MS. The following is the line of treatment:

• Patient and patient’s family education
• Emotional support to the patient
• Distressing the patient
• Ayurveda Panchakarma line of management with internal medication
• Moderate physiotherapy and yoga

Treatment aims at improving the quality of life of the patient and reducing attacks of MS in the future.

What to expect after treatment:

Improved sensation at the affected area.

Improved strength of the muscles that were affected.

Reduction in the numbness of the affected part.

Improved balance of the whole body.

Improved co-ordination.

Reduced difficulty for speech and swallowing.

Improved gait.

Emotional stability.

Overall improved neuro function

Improved quality of life.

Reduction in chances of Relapsing.

Follow-up:

A follow up treatment of about 3 to 4 weeks is suggested after 6 to 9 months of the initial treatment program, depending upon the condition of the patient.

Three consecutive treatment programs are suggested.

Please note:

Response to the treatment varies from patient to patient depending upon the duration of the illness, severity, stage and other co-morbid conditions.

 A lot of effort and participation from the patient’s side is needed to get the desired results. Patients who are too old & weak, who are mentally compromised / unstable, who are unable to follow basic commands, who are unable to respond to instructions cannot be taken up for treatment. Favorable results not expected with such patients.

  Patients above the age of 70 years may or may not get the desired results owing to old age.

  Patients having Cardiac (heart) problems and / or Renal (Kidney) problems may not be considered for treatment at our Institution.

  Patients having Psychiatric / Psychological issues may not be able to achieve the desired results.