by gainsbourg » Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:00 pm
I realise there are those who are excited by drugs such as CFX and Novaxin. They may have the greatest success so far, but when all the initial euphoria dies down and more extensive, long term results come in, I am afraid I do not see these drugs turning out to be the general MS cure-all we all hope for. This is because I do not believe that MS is necessarily just an auto-immune problem. The medical profession have never been completely comfortable with the auto-immune theory, simply because neither theory nor associated drugs tick all the right boxes. Something else may be initiating the inflammation and damage.
It's also becoming obvious that MS symptoms are likely to be a result of a combination of inflammation, damage and scarring in the CNS (rather than is popularly assumed, as purely resulting from scarring in the CNS). This is one reason why MRI evidence of scarring is not usually used alone in making a diagnosis of MS.
From what I understand, anti inflammatory drugs such as CFX seem to help mostly in remitting/relapsing cases where the remission achieved may be due to a lessening of the inflammation. It gets complicated here because far from all MS cases respond. Perhaps in some cases, damage to the CNS, rather than current inflammation, may be the main reason for the symptoms.
For me, the important question is whether auto-immune processes are the root cause of the inflammation/damage to the CNS, or whether this initially occurs and is perpetuated by other factors.
I favour the vascular theory, partly because of its simplicity: over a very long preiod, a slight deficiency of blood to the CNS being the root cause. Insufficient blood means insufficient nutrients, oxygen, repair processes etc and results in a very gradual deterioration. Inevitably, the nerves become damaged, inefficient and inflame periodically or chronically. This is why the illness is 'creeping' and progressive. What I like about this theory is that chronic tension in muscles could explain the resricted blood flow. This is, after all, almost certainly what happens in repetitive strain injury.
Deep muscle tension around the spine can become unnoticable when you have lived with it for many years and may be gradually built up by things such as mental tension, upset, various stressors, bad posture and poor sleep. As a psychology graduate I am open to the theory that most illness has a psychological origin but it can be very hard to prove or measure. If you doubt the mind and body are connected in this way, then consider how stress factors seem to bring on ulcerative colitis, or heart attacks, or do a Google search for 'Holmes and Rahe.'
People in northern lattitudes (where MS is more common place) may simply tend to be less laid back, than those who live on The Equator (where MS is almost unknown)!
I do not know if ACE Inhibitors have been used on MS patients...it would need to be long term treatment. I do know there was a small study that showed massage relieves MS symptoms.
Gainsbourg