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Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous
system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. It
is thought to be an immune-mediated disorder, in which the immune system
incorrectly attacks healthy tissue in the CNS.
In multiple sclerosis, damage in the central nervous system (CNS) interferes
with the transmission of nerve signals between the brain and spinal cord and
other parts of the body.
Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, although children
and older adults may develop it.
Anyone who has the genes that set them up for autoimmunity may develop
MS but there are some patterns. More than two to three times as many
women as men develop MS and this gender difference has been increasing
over the past 50 years. Studies suggest that genetic factors increase the risk
of developing MS, but there is no evidence that MS is directly inherited.
Environmental factors, such as low Vitamin D and cigarette smoking have
also been shown to increase the risk of MS. MS occurs in most ethnic groups,
including African-Americans, Asians and Hispanics/Latinos, but is most
common in Caucasians of northern European ancestry.
Symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary in type and severity from one
person to another and in the same person over time. Symptoms may
disappear or remit completely, or they may persist and may worsen over time.
The most common symptoms of MS include fatigue, numbness and tingling,
blurred vision, double vision, weakness, poor coordination, imbalance, pain,
depression and problems with memory and concentration. Less commonly
MS may cause tremor, paralysis and blindness.
Life expectancy has increased over time. We believe this is due to treatment
breakthroughs, improved healthcare and lifestyle changes. Research
indicates that the average life expectancy of people with MS is about seven
years less than the general population because of disease complications or
other medical conditions. Many of these complications are preventable or
manageable. Attention to overall health and wellness can help reduce the risk
of other medical conditions, such as heart disease and stroke, that can
contribute to a shortened life expectancy. In very rare instances, MS can
progress rapidly from disease onset and can be fatal.
Functional medicine is a science-based health care approach to assess,
prevent and treat complex chronic disease. It is a new model of medicine that
has evolved through the efforts of scientists and clinicians from the fields of
clinical nutrition, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, conventional
medicine, and a wide array of scientific disciplines. Functional medicine
evaluates the body as a whole with special attention to the relationship of one
body system to another and the nutrient imbalances and toxic overload that
may adversely affect these relationships.
The vast majority of modern-day illness is not from acute illness that can be
easily diagnosed and treated. Most illness is chronic and almost always
preceded by a lengthy period of declining function in one or more of the
body's systems. Functional medicine is a new clinical model that replaces
outdated and ineffective acute-care models of health care and attempts to
return patients to wellness. Illness is addressed by identifying specific
dysfunctions that have contributed to the disease state. Those dysfunctions
are, for each of us, the result of lifelong interactions among our environment,
our lifestyle and our genetic predispositions.
Some testing can be done through conventional laboratories, and others are
only available through specialty laboratories. During your medical
consultation, your provider will determine which tests are needed and will
review testing recommendations, instructions (for instance, fasting or non-
fasting, etc.) and costs.
Your financial resources and how much testing you want to do are taken into
account, and the plan for testing is reviewed with you. Testing is frequently
done to assess nutritional status, including amino acids, fatty acids, oxidative
stress, vitamin levels, mitochondrial function, food sensitivities, and heavy
metals. Many other tests are available including genetic testing for a variety of
conditions, hormone evaluations, bone health, gastrointestinal health, adrenal
function and many others.
Some testing can be performed at home with test kits to collect urine, saliva or
stool. Others may require a blood draw. In all cases, we will assist you in
coordinating initial and follow-up testing.
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