IS MS CURABLE?

Well, you can't cure something if you don't know what it is. I
believe Multiple Sclerosis is only secondarily an auto-immune problem. Rather,
it is a venous blood circulation disorder, the immune system activity being a
normal reaction subsequent to injury. This activity MAY injure the central
nervous system (CNS), but treatment should focus on the primary CAUSE -
a blood circulation disorder (CCSVI).

Apparently one third of MS cases experience a spectacular recovery after the blocked  veins
leading from the CNS are opened with angioplasty.This means a
Cure. Unfortunately, the improvement doesn't always last, the veins may
close up again. And each time the vein is re-opened, it may be damaged. So now
there is an effort to replace the damaged vein in the neck with a vein taken
elsewhere in the body (jugular bypass surgery). I don't know how successful that
procedure has been. Up to 25,000 angioplasties for CCSVI on MS patients have
been performed worldwide; their success rate isn't known. However, some
angioplasties succeed and the patients enjoy complete recovery.

Unfortunately patients that cannot benefit from therapies which enhance blood
circulation because the circulation is literally blocked will need to continue
drug therapy to treat the deleterious effects of the blood reflux until they can
obtain relief through angioplasty. Scientific researchers will need to
adjust their focus towards minimizing the consequences of the blood reflux and
find ways to assure the success of angioplasty for CCSVI. (Yes, there are risks.
The veins drain the brain which pose a different degree of threat than treating
varicose veins. But it should be up to the patient to judge how much risk he/she
is willing to take in light of the handicap. And follow-up treatment should be
readily available. No one should have to go overseas for risky
treatment.)

According to Dr. Gary Siskin another one third of MS patients obtain some improvements from
angioplasty and the remaining one third no improvement at all. The jugular
vein "restenoses" after being opened 50% of the time. If the vein collapses so
easily, it may open easily as well. I have found a neck massage pushing the
blood down towards the heart is enough to stop an “attack”. Think of a weak
garden hose which collapses when there is no water flowing through it. Physical
manipulation can open the vein and get the blood flowing out of the brain. I
believe the various vein abnormalities (wall membrane too thin?) can be more
subtle than a mechanically treatable stenosis. Blood circulation can be
restricted by a weakened vein which narrows intermittently or collapses because
of stress and can be kept open without angioplasty by removing the stress 
(e.g.glutens, aspartame, mercury fillings, mother, food intolerances, cold,
flus, toxins, ambition) and enhancing blood circulation (massage, acupuncture,
acupressure, kinesiology, homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic, swimming.)   For
these patients toxic MS drugs  may aggravate the problem. This means 
Controlling MS.  It may require daily blood circulation treatments (see
Self Acupressure Blog entry) but other conditions require daily
attention as well (e.g. diabetes) Individual solutions for the venous
blood circulation problem can be as varied as the multiple stress factors which
trigger it. That is why what works for one MS patient may not work for
another.

I don’t see how a double blind study can account for
all these variables, especially since one third of patients can't benefit from
angioplasty and another one third benefit only moderately Those who need it
shouldn't have to go overseas to be treated.  At the very least
diagnostic tools should be made available to identify the likely
candidates.  Far from protecting them, I believe the FDA restrictions
are condemning the most seriously afflicted MS patients.