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 Multiple sclerosis is a potentially debilitating disease in which your body's immune system eats away at the protective sheath that covers your nerves. This interferes with the communication between your brain and the rest of your body. Ultimately, this may result in deterioration of the nerves themselves. Signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis vary widely, depending on the location of affected nerve fibers. Multiple sclerosis signs and symptoms may include:
- Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs
- Dizziness
- Partial or complete loss of vision, usually in one eye at a time, often with pain during eye movement
- Double vision or blurring of vision
- Tingling or pain in parts of your body
- Electric-shock sensations that occur with certain head movements
- Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait
- Fatigue
The following medications are commonly used for multiple sclerosis:
- Corticosteroids
- Interferons
- Glatiramer (Copaxone)
- Natalizumab (Tysabri)
- Mitoxantrone (Novantrone)
In Chinese medicine multiple sclerosis is considered a type of atrophy or flaccidity (Wei) syndrome. Demyelination – a loss of fatty substance surrounding the nerve fibers – corresponds to a description in Chinese medicine involving the loss of vital fluid essence or Jing. The quality of the myelin sheath is similar to the Chinese medicine quality of essence. In Chinese medicine the brain and spinal cord are understood to be an extension of the kidney system, the storehouse of essence. Kidney yin and yang are the key factors in the regulation and balancing of yin, yang, qi, blood and all the body’s immune mechanisms. Proper regulation of the normal immune response is achieved through balance. Therefore the focus in treating the autoimmune aspect of multiple sclerosis in Chinese medicine is to nourish the kidney essence and establish a balance in physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energy as well as in life style. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal Medicine have been involved in the treatment of multiple sclerosis for thousands years. Acupuncture and herbs can decrease the side effects of many of the medications and assist patients to balance their lives and stabilize and halt the progress of the disease.
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Multiple sclerosis
