- This treatment is indicated for patients who do not respond to conventional drugs.
- In Mexico it is estimated that there are more than 20 thousand people with Multiple Sclerosis.
- The diagnosis of this condition is based on an MRI to identify inflammation in nerve cells in the brain.
Specialists from the General Hospital of Mexico (HGM) “Eduardo Liceaga” apply a new technique called plasmapheresis. It is a treatment for autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system such as multiple sclerosis in patients who do not respond to conventional drugs, which improves their quality of life.
In this regard, the person in charge of the HGM Multiple Sclerosis and Muscle and Nerve Clinic, Gil Playas Pérez, explained this technique in detail. It consists of extracting blood from the sick person and using a medical device to eliminate all the toxic substances it contains. Once the blood is clean, it is transfused to the patient.
The specialist pointed out that, in this hospital headed by its owner, Guadalupe Lucia Guerrero AvendanoEvery month, between 40 and 50 people are subjected to this rescue procedure.
Multiple Sclerosis in Mexico
He also said that this condition affects more than 20,000 people, especially women, due to genetic factors. It is the most frequent non-traumatic cause of motor disability in young adults, with serious economic and labor repercussions. In most cases it appears in the stage of greatest productivity, which is between the ages of 20 and 40.
May 25 I National Day of #Multiple sclerosis 🩺
This day seeks to raise awareness among the population about this disease, and to inform about its causes, consequences and symptoms.
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– HEALTH Mexico (@SSalud_mx) May 25, 2023
He added that this chronic degenerative condition causes disability in 60 percent of patients who have had the disease for 10 years or more. It is due to an affectation in the place where the neurons are located, which is the white and gray matter of the brain.
The person presents symptoms such as vertigo, dizziness, double vision, difficulty swallowing, bladder problems, muscle stiffness, loss of vision in one eye, lack of strength, and a feeling of numbness in the legs and arms.
How is the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis made?
The diagnosis is established by magnetic resonance imaging that detects the inflammation of the nerve cells of the brain and measures the degree of the lesions. The HGM Multiple Sclerosis and Muscle and Nerve Clinic receives one hundred new cases each year.
The head of the Neurology Service of the HGM, Claudia Elisa Alfaro Tapia, indicated that there are medications in injectable presentations or tablets that are supplied according to the needs of patients, either daily or every third day.
When referring to plasmapheresis, he added that it helps to avoid relapses or sequelae in those who do not respond to other treatments.
“If he or the patient stops seeing with one eye, they usually go to an ophthalmologist. At first you will not think that it is something neurological; if they have numbness in their hand or leg they go to the orthopedist, they think it’s a spinal problem, or sometimes that it’s a nerve”.
The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are variable, they can last more than 24 hours and the person takes up to a month to recover; sometimes they are confused with health problems such as anxiety and depression, which delays the diagnosis.
Regarding physical rehabilitation, Claudia Elisa Alfaro stressed that it is key to prevent the disability from worsening. A healthy physical condition allows maintaining or recovering strength and mobility, as well as a life with greater independence, a situation that favorably impacts their mental health and psychological well-being.
Also read:
Multiple Sclerosis: Symptoms, Risk Factors and Treatments
Graphic of the day: Celebrities and celebrities diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
4 Early Signs of Multiple Sclerosis You Shouldn’t Ignore