Multiple Sclerosis and the Role of Chiropractic Care in Snellville GA

Every nerve fiber in your body has a protective coating called myelin that helps messages from the brain travel well throughout the body. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that impacts the nervous system and leads to an attack on the myelin of various nerves. It leaves behind nerve damage and scar tissue on the nerves, which can interfere with the brain-body communication that is vital for healthy living in Snellville GA.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease with a great deal of variation in its effects. Some people will quickly lose mobility and have a slew of troublesome issues, while others will spend decades living a relatively normal life, largely unaffected by MS. Although there is no official cure for MS, many treatments can help those living with the disease manage their symptoms and maintain a high quality of life for as long as possible.

Be Aware of Early Signs of MS in Snellville GA

While MS seems more prevalent in the older population, most people with the disease are actually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. While not all the early signs listed below will eventually bring about an MS diagnosis, any of these symptoms are worth getting checked out and screened for multiple sclerosis, as early intervention can help a great deal.

• Vision problems
• Cognitive problems
• Bladder issues
• Sexual dysfunction
• Dizziness
• Balance problems
• Weakness or fatigue
• Numbness or tingling
• Spasms or other pain

Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) is another early sign of MS, which involves neurological symptoms that last 24 hours or more and don’t have an obvious cause. Multiple instances of CIS can also indicate a higher likelihood of multiple sclerosis. CIS episodes may include any of the above symptoms for a prolonged period of time or any of the following:

• Optic Neuritis – Vision issues and eye pain caused by damaged myelin on the optic nerve
• Transverse Myelitis – Damage to the myelin on the spinal cord that brings about numbness and weakness
• Lhermitte’s Sign – Myelin damage on the spinal cord that causes tingling or a shock-like feeling that travels down the neck and back, particularly when bending your head forward

How Does Chiropractic Care Help?

It is common knowledge that chiropractors are experts in the musculoskeletal system, but they are also experts in the nervous system. The fact that the spinal column houses the entire communication highway of the central nervous system makes it even more evident that they are a great specialist to see if you’ve received a multiple sclerosis diagnosis.

The spine is made up of 33 vertebrae that stack on top of each other. If one is shifted to the side or turned ever so slightly, it can put pressure on the nearby nerves. That pressure impacts the transmission of messages from the brain and interrupts the communication. When this happens, messages get mixed up and disjointed, which brings about dysfunction in the body. The type of dysfunction a person experiences is based on where the misalignment is in the spine and how severe the nerve interference is.

A person with multiple sclerosis likely has several misalignments that have been present for a long time. While a chiropractor cannot heal MS with just one adjustment, regular adjustments will help improve the function of the nervous system and help the spine maintain proper alignment, allowing the body to continuously heal itself from the inside out. Chiropractic is an all-natural, non-invasive, safe option for improving symptoms of MS. It does not involve medications with questionable side effects or experimental procedures that can cause harm or a temporary cover-up of symptoms. It aims to get to the root of the problem and bring about true correction and healing.

If you or someone you love is dealing with MS, contact Dr. Dionne Anderson at Hand and Heart Chiropractic. She and her team are passionate about helping those living in and around Snellville improve their health, wellness, and quality of life with neurologically-based chiropractic care.

SOURCES

Elster, E. “Eighty-One Patients with Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease Undergoing Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care to Correct Vertebral Subluxation: A Retrospective Analysis.” Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, 2004. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Eighty-One-Patients-with-Multiple-Sclerosis-and-to-Elster/2327ce2aec502135c352112d5a1d82aa7064a4fc

Elster, E. “Upper Cervical Chiropractic Management of a Multiple Sclerosis Patient: A Case Report.” Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, 2001; 4(2): 22-30.