Over 2.1 million people in the world have been affected by multiple sclerosis. Every week, 200 more people are diagnosed. All demographics and ages are impacted, but women between twenty and fifty are the most common. Multiple sclerosis or MS is hard to treat because the cause of the disease remains unknown.
The goal of the treatment is to prevent the disease from progressing and relieve the symptoms. Some results have been seen with traditional treatment but there are doubts. One treatment option is PEMF therapy.
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
MS is a disease that attacks a person's central nervous system. The mechanism remains unclear. The central nervous system has nerve fibers with a myelin or a protective layer. Myelin also assists with the transmission of electrical signals.
MS results in the disappearance of myelin in specific areas. This leaves a scar referred to as sclerosis and impairs nerve function. The meaning of multiple sclerosis is multiple scars.
Types of Multiple Sclerosis
There are four known types of MS:- Clinically isolated syndrome lasts a maximum of 24 hours and is the first episode of multiple sclerosis.
- Relapse-remitting MS is the most common and can impact 85 percent of all multiple sclerosis patient.
- Primary progressive MS has symptoms that progressively worsen. There is no relapse or remission.
- Secondary progressive MS is the progression of the disease after the first relapse or remission.
Symptoms and Causes
The central nervous system is affected by MS and this affects the body's functions. There are wide variations in symptoms from person to person. The symptoms can be mild or severe from the beginning.
The most common symptoms are:
- Visual disturbances
- Muscle weakness
- Problems with memory and thinking
- Numbness and tingling
- The difficulty with coordination and balance
- Bladder issues including frequent urination and incontinence
- Bowl problems including constipation
- General fatigue
The cause of MS is unclear. The belief is MS is an autoimmune disease.
The risk factors are:
- Individuals between twenty and fifty years of age
- The susceptibility for MS can be passed down through the genes
- Women are at a higher risk
- MS is more common for Europeans
- The magnetic field of the earth may be a contributing factor
- Sunlight is a factor because MS is more common in individuals living further from the equator
Conventional Treatment of MS
Multiple sclerosis cannot be cured. The focus of the treatment is controlling the symptoms and the autoimmune response. This includes plasma exchange, rehabilitation, various medications, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, Omega 3 supplements, and vitamin D. Great results have been seen with PEMF therapy for slowing the progression and decreasing the symptoms.
PEMF Therapy and Multiple Sclerosis
The neurological tissue can be affected by PEMF therapy at the basic, cellular level. There is little information available regarding the reduction of the size of MS scars through PEMF. Substantial evidence proves the progression of MS can be slowed with PEMF therapy.
This decreases the recurrences. PEMF can alleviate numerous symptoms including mood changes, fatigue, and cognitive function. All the cells in the body are improved with PEMF including the ones affected by MS. The biomechanical and physiological processes of the body are influenced by PEMF therapy.
One theory regarding the way PEMF affects MS symptoms is it improves the flow of charged ions as they pass into the nerve membrane through the protein channels. This improves the signal conduction of dysfunctional neurons. Dr. R. Sandyk of New York's Touro College suggested a key role is played by the pineal gland in the development of MS because it affects so many hormones in the body.
He believes research should be focused on improving the pineal gland function with therapeutic factors including pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. It has been established high, medium and low-intensity PEMF's can be used to treat MS. Kramer ED, Lawrie FW, Richards TL, and Lappin MS completed a study in 2003. They examined the effect of PEMF on the fatigue and quality of life resulting from MS. This was a placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
This was a crossover, multi-site study where each person received four weeks of a placebo or a real treatment every two weeks. The sites for the study were in Fairfax, VA at the Neurology Center of Fairfax, in Seattle, WA at the Washington Medical Center and in Cherry Hill, NJ at the American Multiple Sclerosis Association. There were 117 participants exposed to a small portable PEMF generator every day. The post-treatment condition of the participants was examined using paired t-tests for those completing both sessions.
When the device was active, there was a greater improvement in fatigue and quality of life. There was no significant impact on some spasticity issues, disability and bladder problems. The evidence suggested some of the prominent symptoms of MS can be alleviated with exposure to PEMF.
Another study on the effect of PEMF on MS was completed in 1997. This study took place in Seattle WA at the University of Washington's Department of Radiology. The principal investigator was Richards TL. This was also a double-blind study where the participants were given a PEMF frequency between four and thirteen Hz with the intensity between fifty and 100 milligauss.
The study included thirty MS patients wearing a portable PEMF device for a period of two months and ten to 24 hours per day. Half the participants receive a placebo, the other half real PEMF stimulation. Several different tests were used to measure the results. The tests were a quantitative electroencephalography, patient-reported performance, and a clinical rating. There was not much change in the clinical rating, but significant improvement was seen in the performance rating.
The most noticeable effects were for vision, mobility, spasticity, cognitive function, fatigue, and bladder control. There was a change of -3.83 +/- 1.08 for the active group on the PS scale. The change for the placebo group was -0.17 +/- 1.07. The combination of PEMF therapy and multiple sclerosis was effective. The language assessment used quantitative electroencephalography and showed significant improvement.
