Multiple Sclerose/M.S. Anhang 2
[Markus Sommer]
The central nervous system displays a level of structural
differentiation that is unparalleled within the human body. The spatial gestalt
of neuronal connections and their constancy over time are of crucial functional
significance. In principle, the gestalt can remain intact throughout the course
of life (over decades). This spatio-temporal structural fixity is associated
with a great reduction in the vital regenerative power of the nervous system,
even if (studies have shown in recent years) neuronal plasticity (particularly
following traumas) is greater than was long assumed and certain stem cell
populations retain the ability to replicate that mature nerve cells have lost.
At the moment it is still uncertain if these stem cells will prove to be
of functional significance in the human organism. Be that as it may, an inner
kinship is evident between the nervous system and mineral-colloidal formations
in nature. If this is the "death pole" of the organism, then the
opposite pole would be that of the blood, which remains in
a fluid state and manifests no constant spatial structure but provides
for interconnectedness among all parts of the body and maintains the
temperature relationships in the body. The cellular portion of the blood is
subject to change (in part quite rapid) and the hematopoietic bone marrow
exhibits the highest replicative capacity and regenerative power in the body.
Active in the blood are forces with a chaotic, dissolving tendency as well as
vital forces of a metabolic character. These gain predominance during
inflammatory processes, leading to increased blood flow and (through the action
of mediators) to structural dissolution. From an anthroposophical viewpoint,
the nervous system and the blood represent opposite ends of a functional
polarity; they work together in the organism but are not permitted to
interpenetrate under conditions of health. The blood-brain barrier is one of
the body's ways of ensuring this.
In the context of this polarity, the tendency of the nervous system
towards degenerative pathologies can be understood as a further step towards
reduced vitality, an expression of progressive "cooling" and
rigidification. From the anthroposophical point of view, this goes parallel
with a deficient permeation of the body by the actions
of the "I-organization," which physically realizes the inmost
intentions of the individuality and manifests itself primarily through its structuring
of the warmth relationships
in the body. On the other hand it is also obvious that inflammatory
("hot") diseases are capable of causing lasting structural and hence
functional impairment of the nervous system. Within the central nervous system,
the neurons are closer to the overall tendency of this organ system, while the
glia fulfills not only structural but also primarily--metabolic and
"nutritive" functions and is thus closer to the tendency of the
blood. This view is supported by the fact that at least parts of the glia are
of mesenchymal origin and even have precursor cells in the blood that have
migrated into the realm of the nervous system. In tests aimed at developing
reparative remyelinating therapies in multiple sclerosis, it was found that
under certain conditions bone marrow cells can give rise to oligodendrocytes,
the cells that are primarily damaged by this disease.
Multiple sclerosis is a common chronic disease of the central nervous
system (incidence in Germany: 1 per 1000), with a highly individual course.
Most persons affected ultimately suffer more or less severe functional
impairments, but the spectrum of possible courses runs from completely
reversible symptoms appearing after decades to severest impairments appearing
within weeks, and even to almost immediate death. The disease can affect nearly
all neurological systems of the CNS, causing sensory disturbances extending to
total loss of sensation and blindness, motor disorders from paralysis to severe
spasticity and ataxia requiring bedriddenness. It may also lead to impaired
communication stemming from dysarthria due to affection of the cerebellum, as
well as possibly affecting balance (dizziness), sexual function, and bladder
and rectal function. Quite frequently patients are afflicted with fatigue and
exhaustion, while neuropsychological impairments such as memory problems and
emotional lability are also common. In the majority of cases separate episodes
or attacks can be distinguished, between which–at least initially–there may be
an absence of symptoms. However, there are also courses characterized by a
gradual aggravation of symptoms, which may set in primarily or at any point in
the course of the disease. There are a number of prognostic parameters, both
clinical and paraclinical (based on MRI findings); however, in terms of both
the disease dynamics and the type of functional failures to be expected, the
individual course is difficult or impossible to predict. It is this uncertainty
that patients experience as particularly tormenting; as one book title aptly
puts it: "The only sure thing about this disease is its uncertainty."
The debate continues today as to whether the different types of courses reflect
distinct disease entities or not.
Evaluation of Existing Therapies
Cortisone therapy given during episodes is recognized as effective in
shortening them (except in the special case of optic neuritis), but has no
decisive positive influence on the longterm course. In recent years it has been
found possible to improve the prognosis by use of beta interferon, glatiramer
acetate (copolymer-1) and intravenous immunoglobulins. As far as is presently
known, these therapies are not associated with the risk of inducing cancer and
genetic damage or with significant cardiotoxicity, as was the case with
undifferentiated immunosuppression using azathioprine or mitoxantrone;
nevertheless, they too have significant side effects or risks. For example:
Interferon preparations almost always cause flu-like symptoms and psychological
side effects, some of them severe; glatiramer acetate produces local side
effects at the point of injection; and with the administration of
immunoglobulins derived from pooled blood of thousands of patients, the risk of
infection can never be totally ruled out. For such reasons many patients
discontinue prophylactic treatments after having begun them. Moreover, efficacy
is limited: All procedures mentioned reduce the frequency of episodes and the
progression of impairment by about 1/3, and the medicines are extremely expensive.
Annual costs for any of them amount to more than 10.000 euros. Yet in spite of
such drawbacks, these medicines can be of great value to some patients—alone or
in combination with an anthroposophical treatment.
It is not surprising that many alternative approaches to treating this
disease exist, many of them employing behavior modification alongside of
pharmaceuticals.
In particular there are a number of dietary approaches, the most
promising of these advocating a chiefly vegetarian diet (based on organic /
biodynamic produce) that avoids products to which there is
an individual incompatibility as well as excessive amounts of easily
accessible carbohydrates. This diet has also proven helpful in rheumatic
ailments. A certain amount of fish, with its high proportion
of omega-3 fatty acids, may be beneficial in the diet. Some patients
feel better generally, and in particular more alert and able to function, when
their diet has an increased proportion of root vegetables (which are related to
the nervous system in the anthroposophical understanding). Even with the means
available to anthroposophical medicine, however, there has been no consistent
success in producing reliable improvements, although in individual cases the
course has clearly been influenced in a favorable direction and many patients
have at least been permitted to experience a mitigation of their complaints.
Some patients treated under an anthroposophical regime have experienced
long-term absence of renewed symptoms, but in such an unpredictable disease
this fact must be interpreted with caution. One basic reason why many patients
turn to anthroposophical medicine in the course of their illness is related to
its complexity: Characteristically there is an interpenetration of physical
changes, depressed vitality and psychic symptoms, and the course is subject to
influence by the physical, vital and mental/emotional factors. Unlike less
complex systems of medicine, anthroposophical medicine takes account of the
mutual influence of these levels and recognizes as central the patient's
individuality with its intentions and goals in life. It is often emphasized by
patients that they do not wish just
to be treated, but to be taken seriously as autonomous shapers of their
path of healing and as active participants in their therapy. With its range of
therapies (biographical and artistic approaches), anthroposophical medicine can
meet these needs in a variety of ways. If our therapeutic potential is to
improve regarding this disease, our still very incomplete understanding of it
will have to grow.
Pathogenesis
Multiple sclerosis (or encephalomyelitis disseminata ) involves both
inflammatory and degenerative aspects, as its two synonymous names imply.
In the acute episode alterations typical of inflammation (moderate rises
in cell count and protein) are frequently found in the cerebrospinal fluid, and
magnetic resonance imaging of fresh lesions generally reveals a disturbance of
the blood-brain barrier, as is found in inflammatory processes. Pathoanatomically
as well, lymphocyte infiltration points towards inflammatory processes in the
acute episode.
In terms of the polarity presented above, one can speak of an excessive
penetration of the blood dynamic into the nervous system. An at least partial
collapse of the blood-brain barrier appears to be
a significant pathogenetic factor, the cause of which is still largely
unclear. Simultaneously and subsequently, however, degenerative aspects such as
axon destruction and glial scar formation appear as well. It is clear that
autoimmune reactions to myelin, with which glia cells coat the axons, play a
role here. The presence of myelin-activated lymphocyte clones alone, however,
is not a sufficient precondition for the arising of MS; indeed, myelin
antibodies may even be associated with a reparative aspect. Although the great
majority of neurologists categorize MS as primarily inflammatory in nature,
there are other voices that pinpoint its cause in an initial alienation of the
myelin due to a "genuine weakness of the warmth organism." According
to H. H. Vogel, this weakness is the result of a
"psychological/psychosomatic process," an aspect of which is also
considered in the studies of Treichler.
Outside the anthroposophical medical community too have been voices postulating
recently, that in at least a portion of the patients primarily degenerative
aspects are at play and that the inflammatory processes should rather be
interpreted in terms of a clearing function. In this connection it is also
noteworthy that inflammatory cells and mediators in the MS lesion are not
solely harmful, but can directly induce reparative processes on neurons and
glia. This could support the assumption of the anthroposophical physicians
cited above that there is (at least in principle) an "upbuilding"
aspect to inflammation in MS, while the primary pathology consists of a
"degenerative" alteration within the brain. It follows from the facts
we have cited that the overall aim must be to reestablish a healthy balance between
degenerative and inflammatory disease tendencies. This goal, which has been
stated in an important neurological journal, is completely in accordance with
the anthroposophical view. This discussion indicates that a purely
anti-inflammatory approach, taken to an extreme, could be counterproductive in
the long term.
Etiology
The actual cause of MS remains unclear. Certain genetic aspects are
probable (moderately increased familial incidence can be proven, as well as
somewhat higher incidence in specific HLA types), but they are significant only
as dispositional factors and play no role in the great majority of cases. A
range of external factors has been discussed as possible triggers of MS, but it
has not been possible to make any sure and general claims about them. The involvement
of (slow) viral infections could be neither proven nor excluded with certainty.
In individual cases one has the impression that severe psychic stress, a flu
infection or a vaccination might play a role in the first manifestation or in
triggering an episode of MS.
One uncontested aspect is the geographical distribution of MS: It has
been known for decades that the incidence of MS is related to latitude,
standing at practically zero near the equator and rapidly increasing toward the
poles. A report published in this journal some years back discussed this
connection in terms of the different degrees of cold and light. Interestingly,
since that time further analyses of the statistical material have revealed a
closer relation to the geomagnetic latitude than to geographical. Additional
findings (some of them still unpublished) corroborate an epidemiological
connection that points towards an influence of the earth's magnetic field,
which affects the actions of the particle stream emanating from the sun. It has
long been accepted that an individual's place of dwelling at the time of
puberty is decisive for the epidemiological risk of contracting MS.
Mathematical analyses appear to indicate that alongside of this spatial aspect
there is a significant temporal one (at least in girls, in whom the onset of
sexual maturity is clearly marked by menarche): Onset of puberty during a
period of maximum sunspot activity appears to be associated with increased risk
of MS in relation to others born the same year (personal communication from
J.Resch). Consideration of such geological and cosmological aspects of disease
is a specific concern of anthroposophical medicine.
Therapy
We must distinguish between treatment of acute episodes, attempts to
influence the underlying pathology during symptom-free intervals (similar to
attack prophylaxis in conventional medicine) and alleviation of symptoms that
affect normal functioning.
Treatment of Attacks
As noted above, long-term positive effects with the conventional steroid
treatment have been established only for optic neuritis. It is indisputable
that sufficiently high doses of steroids shorten the duration of attacks. The
conventional treatment for attacks consists of large intravenous doses of
glucocorticoids (500 – 1,000 mg methylprednisolone per day) for 3 – 5 days.
There is some dispute as to whether this should be tapered off with oral doses,
but it would appear to be advisable for those patients who show rapid worsening
of symptoms again after high-dose cortisone treatment.
This procedure is not free of side-effects. In most cases, patients have
quality of life complaints. Particularly common are sleep disturbances, psychic
alterations (even induction of psychosis at the extreme) and exacerbation of a
(latent) infection. Some patients report becoming significantly more
susceptible to illness following high-dose cortisone therapy. Over the long
term, repeated administration of steroids is likely to result in descreased
mineralization of the bones, which places these mostly young patients at risk
for osteoporosis later on. High-dose steroid treatment always leads to at least
temporary atrophy of the thymus. Furthermore, as we have indicated, the
inflammatory element of the illness may well have meaningful aspects, and their
complete suppression could also become problematic in the long term.
For all of these reasons, even from the viewpoint of conventional
neurology it is inappropriate to treat each and every aggravation in an MS
patient with steroids. As a rule, only "severe attacks" present an
indication for treatment with corticoids. An attack is regarded as
"severe" if it obviously and perceptibly handicaps the patient in
normal daily activities, e.g. impairing the ability to walk or write.
Apart from dangerous situations (such as rapidly progressive transverse
myelitis or vegetative crises), in all but a few cases it appears reasonable to
pursue an alternative treatment approach, at least initially, and to consider a
high dose of cortisone only when there is insufficient improvement. Generally a
marked decrease in neurological symptoms should be achievable within one week;
in case of further deterioration or stagnation a change in therapy should be
considered no later than the end of the 2nd week, though in my experience this
becomes necessary in no more than 15 % of cases.
Accompanying Therapy
for Steroid Treatment
• Possible side effects of methylprednisolone infusion can be mitigated
with Apis ex animale Gl 30 wa or Apis D30 w. One ampule can be added directly
to the infusion or be injected daily s.c. If this is to be followed by a phase
of oral administration, 5 drops of Apis D30 dil. w may be given daily before
bed.
• Glandulae suprarenales comp. wa at a dose of 7 glob. in the morning
supports kidney function that has been adversely affected by protracted steroid
use and counteracts feelings of tiredness.
• Frequent states of agitation can be quite effectively calmed in most
cases by adding one 10-ml ampule of Solum uliginosum comp. wa to the infusion.
If necessary the preparation can also be injected separately i.v. Also for
unrest and sleep disorders, embrocations with Lavandula Ol. aeth. 10 % w/wa are
beneficial and effective.
Anthroposophical
Treatment as Attack Therapy
In contrast to common practices, I believe that in the acute MS attack
essential is maintaining rest, often bedrest for several days. One of the aims
of this approach is to stabilize the distribution of warmth. Repeatedly it has
led to a positive turn in the overall course of the illness. Any required
thrombosis prophylaxis must be based on the individual case. The physician
should be generous with certifying sick-leave and order household help as
needed, since in a considerable portion of these patients acute overload of
responsibilites must be regarded as favorable to attacks. Regarding external
applications during the attack (for inner agitation) embrocations with
Lavandula Ol. aeth.10% w/wa recommended (on the back region and affected
extremities). Solum uliginosum comp. Oil. wa has a stronger warming action and
is recommended for extreme weakness and loss of body warmth, as well as during
regression of attack symptoms.
• During the attack, largely parenteral treatment is necessary. A basic
scheme would consist of Apis ex animale Gl. D30 wa, Argentum metallicum
praeparatum D30 w, Arnica e radice D20 wa as a daily s.c. injection. Depending
on the neurological/topical diagnosis of the symptomatically most significant
lesion, these remedies can be supplemented with a potentized Organ preparation in
high potency (globuli D15 to D30). Their action is twofold, working against
inflammation in the homologous region while guiding the action of other drugs
used to that region. The organ preparations most frequently required are:
medulla spinalis, cerebrum, regio motorica (or else the brain lobe preparations
lobus frontalis, l. temporalis, l. parietalis und l. occipitalis), cerebellum
(vertigo and ataxia of cerebellar origin), brain stem (for eye movement
disorders and many symptoms in the domain of the brain nerves/nerve
core—vertigo, oral dysesthesia, etc.), nervus opticus (for optic neuritis),
etc.
• For highly pernicious attacks it may be advisable to alternate
Argentum metallicum praeparatum with Stibium metallicum praeparatum D20 or D30
w.
With improvement the frequency of injections can be reduced. Also, lower
potencies are to be preferred now, as their action promotes regeneration.
• Particularly at the onset of an attack, it may be best to stabilize
the blood-brain barrier by employing, in addition to the organ preparation from
the corresponding nerve tissue, a corresponding preparation of the supplying
blood vessel such as Arteria cerebri media Gl D15 or D30 wa although the
primary permeability is doubtless in the venous system.
• When the patient is under excessive stress and seems
"psychologically thin-skinned," one may administer Solum uliginosum
comp. (10-ml-Amp. wa) i.v. from 1x daily up to 3x weekly, depending on the
intensity. When symptoms are pronounced, Amnion Gl D30 wa) is recommended in addition.
Anthroposophical Long-term Treatment
• A central element in a regime for positively influencing the course of
the disease is oral administration of Stannum mellitum D20 w, 1 pea-sized
portion in the evening, and Aurum comp. wa 5 glob. each morning and noon. The
first of these remedies has a balancing action on the two opposing disease
processes described earlier, and the second counteracts degeneration
("cooling") in the glial realm. While Stannum mellitum D20 is easily
managed by patients, with Aurum comp. one must be aware that in rare cases a
worsening of an existing depressive condition is possible, so that during an
acute inflammatory phase one should consider Olibanum D6 (Staufen-Pharma) as an
alternative. Frankincense (Olibanum), contained in potentized form in Aurum
comp., is the combustible resin of the frankincense tree (Boswellia sacra),
which grows in an inhospitable desert environment. In many respects the
over-formative/deadening and energy-charged/metabolic processes and gestures of
this plant reveal a kinship to the characteristic dynamic of multiple
sclerosis. In substantial form, the boswellic acid found in frankincense
preparations inhibits leukotriene formation. These inflammation mediators are
likely a critical contributing factor to the collapse of the blood-brain
barrier in the early phase of the development of an MS attack.
• Autoimmune reactions can be favorably influenced with Mercurius
auratus D15 (Amp.Weleda) (ca. 1 x week s.c.). Symptoms such as nighttime
sweating can also be an indication for this remedy.
• Berthierite D10, D30 Amp. w (1-2 x week) is recommended particularly
in progressive disease conditions. The mineral on which this preparation is
based unites the structuring action of antimony with the strengthening action
of iron.
• When “psychological thin-skinnedness“ (see above) is an issue, when
the demands of life become intolerable, and also when a change of weather has
an unfavorable effect on the patient’s sense of well-being, Solum uliginosum
comp. is recommended in the form of pillules as well, for regular oral
administration (e. g. 5 glob. 3 x daily).
• Prudence is cautioned in the use of mistletoe therapy.
Simultaneously suffering from a form of cancer, high-dose mistletoe
therapy (like any immune-stimulating treatment) can cause considerable
aggravation in the course of the illness. In inflammatory phases of the disease
as well, mistletoe should be used with caution, even in higher potencies. On
the other hand, the use of potentized mistletoe can bring about a highly
beneficial permeation with warmth, helping to „take possession of the body.“
Mistletoe is among those remedies that have the capacity to bring about a
fundamental turning point in the course of illness. Its use is familiar in the
realm of oncology, where the chief therapeutic aim is to re-connect the
formative "higher members" with a body that is at the mercy of
unrestrained vitality and cell growth. This connection is mediated essentially
by warmth and by drawing in immune processes. Multiple sclerosis presents a
different yet comparable situation: Organ domains that are threatening to fall
out of the integrity of the whole need to be led back to the structuring and
warming action of the individuality; immune processes that have become
independent also need to be brought under the guidance of the individuality
again. This process can be encouraged by potentized mistletoe preparations
(since mistletoe preperations are legally authorized for oncological therapy,
their neurological use would constitute an individual therapeutic experiment).
Regarding host trees, the primary one will be Pini if light forces are
required, Abietis if a permeation with warmth is needed, and Crataegi for
harmonization and strengthening. I personally tend to use Iscucin Pini and
Abietis in strength A, but Viscum Pini and Abietis in D30. Positive results are
also reported with middle and higher potencies of Vysorel® (personal
communication from V. Fintelmann).
• When the peak of an episode is past, and for attack prophylaxis, oil
dispersion baths can play a very important role. A water vortex is generated in
the bathtub using a glass apparatus attached to a fitting on the tub; a bath
oil is allowed to flow into the middle of the vortex and undergoes ultra-fine
dispersion by the shearing forces at work at the center of the vortex. It has
been demonstrated that etheric oils dissolved in bath oil are better absorbed
by the organism and that this form of bath (moderate temperature of 35 – 37°C)
stimulates warmth production, resulting in a mild temperature rise during the
night resting phase. While hot baths in multiple sclerosis typically lead to
aggravation of symptoms as a consequence of a temporary decrease in nerve
conduction velocity in demyelinized areas of the central nervous system,
patients generally experience oil dispersions baths as beneficent (care should
be taken that the patient does not get cold in the bath). In some circumstances
the efficacy of the treatment can be further increased by brushing.
The following bath oils have proven most effective: Lavandula, Ol.
aeth.10 % wa (unrest, sleeplessness and in some cases alleviation of
spasticity), Solum-Öl wa (stabilization of body warmth, weather sensitivity and
psychological sensitivity), Arnica e floribus W 5 % Ol. wa (stimulation of
regenerative processes).
Symptomatic Therapy
• For dysesthesias Dyskrasit D20 dil. w recommended
(5 drops 1 x daily);
externally, Aconite Nerve Oil wa or Solum uliginosum comp. Oil. wa are
beneficial. Particularly when paresthesias are associated with feeling of
enlargement, Aranea ex animale D30 Amp. (various manufacturers) is indicated.
• Flaccid paralyses can be effectively treated with Skorodit D8 w (5
drops or 1 pea-sized portion 3 x daily).
• Spasticity often improves
with Lathyrus sativus D6 (dil., w form or standard form, e.g. DHU). Initial
dose is 5 drops 3 x daily, which may be increased if action is insufficient; in
rare cases of intial worsening, D12 potency should be given (2 x daily).
• Involuntary twitching or jerking that primarily affect ability to fall
asleep can be alleviated with Valeriana c. Zinco wa D6 or D12 (5 glob. before
bed) or with Zincum met. praep. D20 w (5 drops before bed).
• For bulbar symptoms Naja D30 Amp. w is recommended, 1 ampule 2 x
weekly s.c. (e.g. in back of neck).
• Fatigue and exhaustion (caused by steroid treatment) can be alleviated
with Glandulae suprarenales comp. Glob. Wa (5 glob. morning and noon); in other
cases
Levico comp. Glob. wa (at the same dose) or Prunus spinosa e summit. D6 Glob.
are recommended.
• The most common side effect of glatiramer acetate (relatively
unproblematic on the whole) is skin reactions, which may include severe itching
over a wide area.
This side effect can be alleviated with amazing efficacy by having a potentized
formulation of the drug made (at D6) and giving the patient 3 to 5 drops of it
before injection.
Regarding the long-term course of the illness, it is important for
patients to develop self-observation skills and become acquainted with their
own limits. Sometimes psychotherapy helps in adjusting to life with the illness
and incorporating biographically significant aspects. Curative eurythmy,
alongside of any necessary physiotherapy or ergotherapy, provides a significant
support for most patients; often it is sufficient to do it in blocks or
alternately with the other therapies. Most patients find rhythmic massage
greatly enhances their sense of well-being; it also helps harmoniously
integrate areas of the body that have fallen out of the organismic whole
because of dysesthesias and spasticity. Craniosacral therapy can also be
beneficial, though this depends on finding a well-trained and prudent
therapist, since the procedure is not risk-free (possible worsening of symptoms
and mobilization of psychic traumas which then require skilled professional
intervention). It is often particularly helpful for patients suffering from a
protracted Lhermitte’s syndrome (tingling paresthesias on neck flexion), but
also for those suffering from vertigo and tonus irregularities.
Many MS patients are also helped by painting therapy, which can have a
pyschologically liberating and stabilizing effect. Experienced painting
therapists have observed that pictures painted by MS patients often show a
separation into „cool“ and „hot“ regions, which would correspond to the two
opposing disease processes. An art-therapeutic regime that strives to restore
equilibrium may well influence the disease process itself, but this remains to
be corroborated by further observation.
Overall, anthropsophical treatment for multiple sclerosis is satisfying.
Many patients experience it as noticeably beneficial; they sense that it is not
simply a manipulation or suppression of physical processes but that it pursues
a directly healing approach. For all the repeated, clearly observable benefits
that medicinal therapy can have, however, ultimately the crucial
dimension—overcoming the disease—lives within the patients as they deal with
the disease, seek meaning in it and order their lives accordingly. Many
patients gain the deep respect of their physician in this process; he too can
learn from them. No less crucial for many patients with this life-accompanying
disease is the religious dimension. In this regard pastoral-medical
collaboration can be of great significance. Altogether, in a disease which
affects so many aspects of the human being and can also be positively
influenced from so many different directions, close collaboration is
indispensible among all those acting therapeutically on behalf of the patient.