Category Archives: MS Treatment

Public release date: 11-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Christie Corbett newsmedia@mssm.edu 212-241-9200 The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were treated with combination therapy did not see significant clinical benefit over those treated with single drug therapy, but combination therapy did reduce the development of new lesions, according to an international research team led by The Mount Sinai Medical Center. The findings, part of the largest-ever MS trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, are published in the March 11 issue of Annals of Neurology. In the Phase III CombiRx trial, researchers led by Fred Lublin, MD, of The Mount Sinai Medical Center, sought to determine if Glatiramer Acetate (GA) and Interferon Beta-1a (IFN), the two most commonly-prescribed drugs for relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), were more effective in combination than as monotherapies. The results showed that while combination therapy was no better than monotherapy, patients who took combination therapy had a reduction in new lesions on MRI scan. "This is the first NIH-sponsored, multi-center, comparative trial evaluating the benefits of both combination therapy and monotherapy in MS," said lead author Fred Lublin, MD, Director of the Corinne Goldsmith … Continue reading →

White Ribbon Day at Brigham and Women's Hospital Men and boys speak out about violence against women and girls on White Ribbon Day, an international event promoted in 60 countries. In observance of White Ri... By: Brighamandwomens … Continue reading →

Stem Cell Patient Here is a stem cell testimonial from a patient who not only had chronic pain but was also in a wheelchair when she came to our office because she was recomme... By: TheMagazinerCenter … Continue reading →

Newswise SAN DIEGO A new study suggests that treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) may be helpful for people whose multiple sclerosis (MS) is not well-controlled through their regular treatment. The study was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurologys 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013. The study involved 23 people with MS who were taking beta-interferon treatment and had at least one relapse or brain scan showing new disease activity within the previous year. They were considered to have breakthrough MS, which means that their treatment that had been working previously stopped being effective, leading to worsening disability and more frequent relapses, as well as increased evidence of disease activity on brain scans. The study participants were given either ACTH or methylprednisolone as pulse therapy monthly in addition to their regular treatment for one year. The people with MS knew which treatment they were receiving, but the researchers examining them did not. The participants were tested every three months for 15 months. Over that time, those receiving ACTH had fewer relapses, or 0.08 cumulative relapses per patient compared to 0.8 relapses per patient for those receiving methylprednisolone. Those taking ACTH … Continue reading →

Newswise SAN DIEGO The drug natalizumab is effective for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), but it increases the risk of a rare but potentially fatal brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). A study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurologys 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013, suggests that early detection of PML may help improve survival and disability levels. The study examined 319 people with MS who were treated with natalizumab and diagnosed with PML. Because of the risk of PML, people taking natalizumab are monitored by their physicians for possible symptoms of the brain infection. The study compared people who had symptoms of PML at the time of diagnosis to people who had no symptoms of the infection, but who were diagnosed with the disease by brain scans and tests in the spinal fluid for the virus that causes the infection. The level of disability for the people in the study was assessed before the PML diagnosis, at the time of diagnosis, and again six months and one year after the diagnosis. A total of 21 people had no PML symptoms at the time of their diagnosis, while 298 … Continue reading →

By Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, March 6 (HealthDay News) -- Besides problems with gait and vision, people who have multiple sclerosis often complain they have trouble remembering things, and now new research may explain why. According to a small study from the Netherlands, people with MS who report memory and thinking problems have more extensive damage to the white matter in their brains than their counterparts with MS who don't report such problems. Up to 70 percent of all people with MS will experience a mental decline at some point, said study author Hanneke Hulst at the VU University Medical Center, in Amsterdam. And the new research "confirmed that cognitive symptoms in MS have a biological basis," Hulst said. The findings were published online March 6 in Neurology. MS is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body attacks myelin, a fatty substance that insulates the nerve fibers of the central nervous system. The brain's white matter is surrounded by myelin. Symptoms range in severity and may include problems with gait, balance, vision, memory and thinking abilities. To get a better picture of what was going on in the brains of people with MS, Hulst and colleagues used a … Continue reading →

March 7, 2013, 9:30 p.m. THE University of Ballarats Human Movement and Sports Science head Sue Brown said women in sport face much tougher times than men. Even women at a national level cant earn enough money, and thats where the struggle comes in, Ms Brown said. I dont think it is really recognised by the sporting community that women are successful at sport. Women are supposed to stay home and look after the family and its not recognised that they can have a working career and a successful sporting career and often be parents too. Ms Brown said the situation facing Ballarat Rush basketballer Andrea McMahon, who has been sacked by Ambulance Victoria for taking unpaid leave to play sport, was disappointing. They havent recognised that she is a role model in the community. She has a career, she plays sport at an elite level, what more could you ask for in a role model? Olympian Rachel Jarry, who played for the then Ballarat Lady Miners in 2010, also spoke out in support of Ms McMahon and said achieving the work-life balance was tough. I study because I need to have a career in mind for after basketball, Ms … Continue reading →

Denver, CO (PRWEB) March 06, 2013 With 2.5 million MS patients worldwide looking for a cure or a treatment that doesnt carry side-effects, alternative therapies have become more appealing. According to http://www.SclerosisTreatment.com health experts are still piecing together the mind-boggling Multiple Sclerosis causes and development, a permanent cure has yet to be found. Conventional therapies for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis include several types of medications such as antidepressants, interferons, mioxantrone and steroids. There are seven MS-modifying treatments that have been approved for usage: two classes of interferonbeta-1 (Avonex, Rebif, CinnoVex, ReciGen and Betaseron), Copaxone, Novantrone, Tysabri, Gilenya and Aubagio. Most of these are meant to reduce the intensity of an attack and help the patient return to a level of normal function after the attack. SclerosisTreatment.com report reveals that natural treatments for Multiple Sclerosis have shown effective results in reducing episodes and improving overall health. For the patients relying only on aggressive medicine to decrease the intensity of a MS episode, herbal therapies are an alternative that needs looking into, particularly since these dont carry the side-effects of the drugs. As seen on Everydayhealth.com most of the drug-based treatments for MS carry side effects that range from mild and … Continue reading →

Janelle Meares always knows when her four-year-old son Riley's ''naughty bone'' is out. But only hours after he sees his chiropractor, Tim*, ''he'll be back to the old Riley,'' she says. Ms Meares takes Riley to his chiropractor for help with behavioural issues, although she first used the treatment for her children when her eldest daughter, Kaitlyn, was diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies. She and her husband had both seen chiropractors in the past, and when she read online that it could help with food allergies, she decided to take Kaitlyn along. Advertisement ''It did improve her allergies but whether or not that is a coincidence I don't know,'' she said. She believes it is wrong to say parents like her would take their children to a chiropractor instead of seeking medical treatment. ''I would always go to my GP first - not that I don't trust Tim, but at the end of the day Tim is a chiropractor, not a GP,'' she said. ''You want to make sure that your kids are fine and healthy, and [the treatment] is a real positive for Riley.'' She said she saw improvements in behaviour and sleep after her children saw the chiropractor. … Continue reading →

Mar. 6, 2013 People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have cognitive problems, or problems with memory, attention, and concentration, have more damage to areas of the brain involved in cognitive processes than people with MS who do not have cognitive problems, according to a study published in the March 6, 2013, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study used a type of MRI brain scan called diffusion tensor imaging along with regular MRI scans to compare brain measurements in 20 people with MS who had related cognitive problems, 35 people with MS who did not have cognitive problems and 30 healthy participants. The diffusion tensor images showed that, compared to the healthy control participants, 49 percent of the investigated brain white matter had impaired integrity in those with MS and no cognitive problems, while impaired integrity was evident in 76 percent of the investigated white matter of those with MS and related cognitive problems. In the people with MS-related cognitive problems, the extra white matter dysfunction was particularly seen in areas important for cognitive skills, such as the thalamus. "This state-of-the-art imaging technology confirms that cognitive symptoms in MS have a biological … Continue reading →