Nerve cells are composed of cell bodies and axons. Demyelination is the term used for a loss of myelin, a substance in the white matter that insulates nerve endings. The axons can be large myelinated, small myelinated or small unmyelinated. |
Myelin helps the nerves receive and interpret messages from the brain at maximum speed. When nerve endings lose this substance they can not function properly, leading to patches of scarring, or ‘sclerosis’, occurring where nerve endings have lost myelin. |
Causes–– |
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Symptoms And Signs— |
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Diagnosis—- |
Diagnosis of demyelination diseases depend on the specific disease. MRI can often diagnose plaques or scarring caused by multiple sclerosis, but a normal MRI occurs in 5 percent of people with MS in early stages, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society states, and doesn’t rule out MS or other demyelinating diseases. |
Treatment—— |
No cures exist for demyelinating diseases as their progression, and symptoms are different for everyone. Getting treatment early is important. Treatment focuses on: |
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A variety of drug therapies are recommended depending on specific disorder. These may include medications that decrease the frequency of new lesion formation. Strategies to treat symptoms include physical therapy, muscle relaxing drugs, and medications to reduce pain and fatigue. |
Management of Acute attacks–— |
During symptomatic attacks, patients may be hospitalized. administration of high doses of intravenous corticosteroids, such as methylprednisolone is the routine therapy for acute relapses. This is administered over a period of three to five days, and has a well-established efficacy in promoting a better recovery from disability. Steroids produce a rapid improvement from disability, but this improvement only lasts up to thirty days following a clinical attack. |
Potential side effects include osteoporosis and impaired memory, the latter being reversible. |
Approved Drugs —– |
The six drugs are i. Interferon beta-1a—- injected weekly ii. Interferon beta-1b——- injected every second day iii. Glatiramer acetate—– injected daily iv. Mitoxantrone ———— most effective in the short term,use limited by severe cardiotoxicity v. Natalizumab————- most effective vi. Fingolimod |
Most of these drugs are approved only for the Relapsing-Remitting course. Not all the patients are responsive to all these therapies. |
Even with appropriate use of medication, to varying degrees most patients with relapsing-remitting MS still suffer from some attacks and many suffer subsequent disability. Treatments only reduce the progression rate of the disease but do not stop it. As multiple sclerosis progresses, the symptoms tend to increase. The disease is associated with a variety of symptoms and functional deficits that result in a range of progressive impairments. Management of these deficits is therefore very important. |
Multidisciplinary approach— |
As for any patient with neurologic deficits, a multidisciplinary approach is key to limiting and overcoming disability.People with MS may need help from almost any health profession or service at some point. |
· Neurologists · Physiatrists. · Physiotherapy · Speech and language therapy · Occupational therapy · Psychologists, and psychiatrists · Neuropsychologists |
Multidisciplinary approaches have been shown to be effective in increasing activity levels and participation in multiple sclerosis |
Ayurvedic Management——- |
Ayurvedic treatment of MS is aimed at arresting the progress of the illness and helping alleviate the symptoms. Almost all cases showed positive response to the Ayurvedic approach to varying extents. The major aspects of an Ayurvedic treatment for MS include diet, healing supplements, yoga and Ayurvedic therapies that nourish and empower the nervous system. There are many herbal medicines currently in use for the treatment of MS related symptoms. Specific herbal and mineral preparations are carefully gathered and prepared which improve both nervous and muscular function according to Ayurvedic tradition. |
General guidelines— |
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Managing symptoms– |
For each symptom there are different treatment options. Treatments should therefore be individualized depending both on the patient and the physician. |
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Ayurveda hold promise in the management of Demyelination. The proven medicines and various methods used in the treatment controls the progress of disease and helps in curing the disease. The therapy improves course of life definitely. |
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