Multiple Sclerosis
A 35 year old male presented to the Lancaster Ayurveda Medical Center with the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. He had been admitted to a hospital in Florida three weeks previously with complaints of weakness and spasticity in the right leg with difficulties in balance as well as fatigue and malaise. He complained of being severely depressed and anxious. He had anger at his circumstances and frequent crying spells. One month previously he had noticed aching and loss of vision in the left eye that had largely improved.
Initial examination revealed abnormalities of the left eye with a Marcus-Gunn pupil, temporal pallor of the optic disc and decreased reaction to light. Vision was 20/25, improved from 20/70 one month previously. Babinski1s were upgoing bilaterally and he was ataxic in both lower extremities, with gait ataxia and difficulty on turns, tandem gait, and balancing on either foot.
The spinal fluid had 9 wbc/cu mm, glucose 64 mg/dl and protein 95 mg/dl with four oligoclonal bands in the gamma region, and a positive (>8) myelin-basic protein. MRI scan of the brain revealed a significant number of periventricular bright spots and scattered small diameter bright spots throughout the white matter of the brain, thought to be compatible with multiple sclerosis. In his discharge summary, the attending physician notes that he advised the patient to avoid nutritional supplements and other 3quackery2 and that dietary changes would not alter the course of the disease. He was discharged with a prescription for Xanax.
The patient arrived at Lancaster in a wheelchair. He underwent a two week multi-strategy program based on Ayurveda. This included panchakarma, dietary changes, learning the Transcendental Meditation technique, Yoga Asanas and Ayurvedic herbal preparations. By the end of his stay, he could walk 800 yards unassisted.
At the time of the writing of this report, nearly twelve years following this program, the patient has continued to follow his Ayurvedic program and remains free of all signs of multiple sclerosis. He walks two miles daily, lifts weights and works full-time as a massage technician. He describes himself as having a positive attitude without depression or anxiety. He has good energy. He has not had a repeat MRI.
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This information on "Multiple Sclerosis" is in the "Lancaster Case Studies" section of AyurvedaMed.com website. To return to the index page of this section, please click here.
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