Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (brain & spinal cord). The disease attacks myelin, the protective covering of the nerves, causing inflammation and often damaging the myelin. Myelin is necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses through nerve fibres. When the myelin is damaged, the neurological pathway is blocked and the brain loses its ability to communicate and relay information to the different parts of the body.

MS is unpredictable and symptoms vary person to person depending on a variety of factors such as what area of CNS is attacked, the severity of the attack, the overall health of the individual and any underlying conditions that he/she may possess. Such symptoms include but are not limited to: extreme fatigue, lack of coordination, weakness, tingling, impaired sensation, vision problems, bladder problems, cognitive impairment and mood changes. In Western medicine, there is no cure for MS but rather treatments depending on the stage of the disease & symptoms. These treatments include steroids to reduce inflammation during a relapse and disease-modifying medicines to help reduce the number of relapses.

Multiple sclerosis is caused by factors that trigger your immune system to mistakenly attack the brain and nerves. It is likely a combination of both genetic and environmental factors. Potential occupational and domestic toxic metal exposures can be found everywhere. It is in our food, medicine, pesticide production, untreated sewage sludge, industrial waste, treated timber, agricultural runoff, materials used in dental restoration, paints, etc.. These toxic elements have been proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of MS since their neurotoxic mechanisms mimic many of the pathogenic processes in MS. Metal toxicants can weaken the blood-brain-barrier, enabling multiple interacting toxicants to pass via the vascular system into our brain and enter into oligodendroglia and astrocytes which can lead to demyelination.

Our lymphatic and glymphatic system is our body’s waste disposal factory that can clear away these harmful debris. The cerebrospinal fluid acts as the lymph of the brain entering and flowing throughout the brain, eventually draining into the same ducts used by our lymphatic system. All the debris that is gathered eventually drains into the blood vessels and travels to the kidney and liver, where it is eliminated from the body. The health of our lymphatic and glymphatic system is both genetic and environmental. For example, high stress levels, poor diet, lack of exercise, poor sleeping hygiene, etc. can impact our circulatory system, thereby slowing down glymphatic and lymphatic clearance, causing toxicity to build up in our system. However, if you are genetically prone to weak circulation or have poor liver and/or kidney function, these factors can also slow down glymphatic and lymphatic clearance.

Exercise is good for everyone, but when you have MS, it is imperative to incorporate exercise in your everyday activity. This seems like the opposite of what your body wants to do, as it may be fatigued, stiff and in pain, but research shows that exercise can help manage or even alleviate various symptoms.
Use it or lose it! In order to create new pathways and strengthen neural connection, the brain has to recognize the need for its use. Exercising can help activate these connections and help improve strength, balance and even improve your mood. Everyone experiences MS differently therefore each person should be assessed professionally to see which method of exercise would best benefit his or her condition. Exercise should be modified as the needs of the individual change.

● Yoga: Current empirical research illustrates a large body of evidence in the benefits and positive outcomes associated with the practice of yoga among individuals with MS. These benefits include improved strength and flexibility, reduced depression, decreased pain, reduced fatigue, increased lung capacity, improved bladder function, lower levels of stress, improved quality of life and muscle relaxation, and lower blood pressure.
● Aerobic exercise: Aerobic exercise is anything that elevates the heart rate and gets the blood circulating throughout the body. One should be getting in 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity a week and should be done in at least 10 minute intervals. Aerobic exercise can be anything from walking, riding a bicycle or even doing house chores around the house.
● Stretching: Stretching is the best way to maintain range of motion and help relieve muscle tightness or stiffness and help with symptoms of spasticity.
● Strength Training: Strength or resistance training should be done at least three times a week and can help to build and maintain strength. Weight bearing exercise releases osteocalcin from the bone which induces glymphatic clearance from the brain.
● Rehabilitation of lost motor function: Depending on the stage of the progression and the pathway that has been damaged, patients will exhibit different areas and different degrees of functional loss. Intervention at the earliest stage will result in best prognosis and patients may even live symptom free. Even if the disease has progressed, it is possible to restore lost function. The key is to stimulate the acupuncture zones that connect to where the neural pathways that have been damaged are in combination with rehabilitation exercises. At Complete Balance, not only have we seen patients improve in their movement and function, but they were able to maintain their progress over time.

It will be important for those with MS to recognize and listen to the state of their body. Exercises that are too exhaustive or aggressive may cause severe fatigue or injury and may increase symptoms rather than alleviate it. It is also important to manage the body’s temperature as it may experience different symptoms as the core body temperature rises. It is better to take a gentler approach and exercise at a moderate intensity than to overdo it. If you have MS, check with one of our therapists to see what treatment combination would be best for you.