Chemotherapy drugs are used to kill cells. In cancer, the therapy is targeted towards tumor cells, but for patients with MS, chemotherapy focuses on reducing the number of white blood cells. Because MS is an autoimmune disease, it causes the body’s own immune system to go into overdrive. The white blood cells begin to attack the brain in order to combat the disease, but this directly causes the inflammation that leads to the lesions and the symptoms. By taking chemotherapy drugs like mitoxantrone and alemtuzumab, the white blood cells are greatly reduced in an attempt to stop the attack on the brain and reduce symptoms. Using chemotherapy to treat MS is still a new process. Clinical trials have proven successful, although chemotherapy drugs often have high-risk side effects, including cardiovascular failure and leukemia. Because of this, many doctors will not consider chemotherapy as a treatment unless other treatments methods have failed.

In short, no. A sclerosis is a scar left by an autoimmune mechanism. For example, in MS, the scars left on nerve fibers following autoimmune attacks on them are scleroses, cholesterol-based plaques which remain behind.

Cancer is the uncontrolled overgrowth of abnormal tissue cells. It is not the result of an autoimmune mechanism. In some cases, the causes of cancers is well known, but in many cancers, the cause is unknown. Regeneration of body cells is a normal process which occurs through cell division, cell useful life, and eventually cell death. Cancer occurs when abnormal cells divide too quickly, or when body cells "forget" how to die.

for pain i take cesamet For neuropathic pain I take Gabapentin (Neurontin); some people I know take a similar drug called Lyrica. For muscle spasms I use Lorazepam; other people with more serious spasms have Baclofen. ANSWER For Pain, Lyrica... It works SOOO well, but it can tend to be exspensive! marijuana is illegal but, it honeslty does the trick && relieves the pain throught your legs.

No, but her mother, Anne Rowling, succumbed to the disease in 1990; that's why - pre-April 2009 - she supported the Scotland Multiple Sclerosis Society.

what is the longterm affects of endplate sclerosis

Myesthenia Gravis can be controlled and may go to Remission for a long time for about 50% of the patients. With medications that increase muscle strength and with subsequent removal of the Thymus (usually abnormal in patients with MG), there is a fairly good prognosis to eliminate symptomps that may lead to remission of the disease. But there is still a percentage of it coming back. So no, there is no Cure but it can be managed.

All people has a sclerotic process in organism since 20 years old. But the clinical implications are starting after 40 years old. Time of the beginning and expression of disease depends on a way of life, bad habits and correctness of a food.

In society, the risk of developing multiple sclerosis is about 1 in 750. If, however, you have a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, etc) who has MS, that risk increases to anywhere between 1 in 100 and 1 in 40.

But it's not all genetic. Take the identical twin example, twins who share the same DNA. If one gets MS, the risk of the other developing it is 1 in 4. If it were all genetic, the risk for the second twin would be 100%. The fact that it is 25% indicates that there are other factors involved, including geography, ethnicity, and that ever-elusive infectious "trigger" which seems to initiate the disease process.

It could be poor circulation, leading to swelling. If you habitually sit for hours at a time, with your feet touching the floor, start getting up for at least a few minutes' walk around the office. This will increase the blood flow. If you cannot find relief through walking or massage, then check in with your doctor--soon.

While there are many theories about what causes MS, there is no definitive answer. A thought about the gravity of this situation by an Answers.com participant:

This is not a laughing matter and does not deserve a flippant answer. I have been married to my husband for 30 years and for 3/4ths of that time have been his caregiver. He is now bedridden and needs complete bodily care.

One theory which has received some review recently is called CCSVI (chronic cerebrospinal vascular insufficiency) characterized by inefficient jugular veins in the neck and other major vascular drainage areas in the body causing a build-up of iron and other by-products of cellular metabolism. If there is insufficient drainage, the heavy metals have a chance to wreak havoc on the cells of the lining of the veins and/or neuronal destruction, and possibly triggering an immune response.

Multiple Sclerosis effects the myeline sheath of the spinal cord

The most important symptom is thickened or hardened skin on the fingers, hands, forearms, or face. This symptom is found in 98% of people with scleroderma.The antinuclear antibody (ANA) test is positive in more than 95% of people with scleroderma.

Some of the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis are blurred or double vision, thinking problems, clumsiness or lack of coordination, or loss of balance.

Prednisone is a steroid-based anti-inflammatory. It can be used via injection, taken orally, or in some forms, can be inhaled if needed. It essentially helps to control inflammation of body tissues.

When a person is experiencing a "relapse" (or a period of worsening MS disease condition), in many cases it is caused by swelling of a nerve. For example, optic neuritis, a very common symptom of MS, is caused by inflammation of the optic nerve.

Prednisone is thought to control the swelling of the nerve fibers and therefore reduce the duration of the symptoms. However, studies have shown that in some cases, treatment with prednisone did not appreciably reduce the severity or duration of the relapse.

Additionally, prednisone is a symptomatic treatment. It treats the symptoms of the disease. It does nothing to affect the overall disease course. There are other FDA-approved medications that can reduce the severity and duration of relapses, as well as slowing the progression of the disease, like Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone, Rebif, and Tysabri.

Muscle strength is definitely affected by Multiple Sclerosis. The primary problem in MS is that neurons are damaged when the myelin sheath is destroyed by the immune system. Nerves transmit signals less effectively through those areas of demyelination, thus the intended strength of a muscle movement may not be directly translated to the muscle. In that way, muscle strength is affected by the disease.

Muscle strength is also affected as a side-effect to another very common MS symptom: fatigue. Also known as "MS Lassitude," fatigue can cause inactivity in people who experience it. This inactivity can, in turn, cause muscle atrophy and muscle weakness. While this is not a direct effect of the disease, it is a very common side-effect, or "secondary symptom," which is a complication that can arise from a primary symptom. Muscle atrophy can also be caused by a lack of movement due to balance or gait issues as well as dizziness (vertigo), all primary symptoms of MS.

Yes, because it can find lesions on the brain.

The symptoms of MS are slurred speach, loss of balance, bladder and bowel problems, vision disturbance, short-term memory loss, extreme fatigue, stiffness of muscles and problems with coordination. Not all occur.

No. Multiple sclerosis affects the central nervous system, it does not affect the peripheral nervous system, nor does it affect the autonomic nervous system. Thus, heart function is unaffected by MS.

Heart function is definitely affected by MS. There are BP changes [orthotstatic hypotension] Heart Rate changes and ECG variations are noted in PWMS [persons with MS] the Autonomic Nervous system is very much influenced: bladder/blower problems, sexual dysfunction, GI disturbances,olfactory loss, Dysfunction of the ANS causes significant decline in performance in MS persons.

no

One contraindication is warm water immersion (e.g. hot tub or extended hydrotherapy in a warm pool) or extensive hot packs - anything that may raise the patient's core temperature - as this will lead to extreme fatigue.

Patron saints against neurological or nerve diseases are St. Bartholomew the Apostle and St. Dymphna. There is no particular patron for those who suffer from Parkinsons. However, Pope John Paul II suffered from it and would be a perfect person to pray to even though he is not yet canonized and not a patron saint.