Multiple encephalomyelitis (SEM) is a frightening diagnosis that today has become common in modern medicine. To begin with, it’s clear that this pathology is characterized by an inflammatory process that predominates in the brain and spinal cord, which is provoked by an aggressive reaction of one's own immunity to the proteins of one’s nervous system.
The main thing here is not to confuse this pathology with multiple sclerosis, although both diseases have similar symptoms. It is important to clarify that disseminated encephalomyelitis proceeds in an acute form, and multiple sclerosis is chronic in nature with subsequent relapses and improvements. SEM can be the start of the progression of multiple sclerosis, so you should be vigilant in restoring the functions of the immune system after suffering multiple disseminated encephalomyelitis.
Possible reasons
However, in order to choose the right regimen for productive treatment, it is necessary to reliably find out the cause of this pathological process. Often pathogenic factors are the following root causes: a hereditary predisposition, the transfer of serious emotional upheavals and direct infection with a microbe that is similar in physiological characteristics of the structure of its proteins to certain proteins of the nervous system of the affected body. What happens in the body, how does this anomaly proceed?
The target of the lesion is the insulating layer of the pathways of the nervous system (myelin), where pathogenic antibodies recognize its proteins as foreign and rapidly destroy them, forming extensive abnormal foci in the substance of the spinal cord and brain. As a result of this chaotic process, all brain functions are sharply reduced, which is expressed by certain symptoms.
Alarms
Multiple encephalomyelitis is rapidly progressing, the symptoms of which become evident against the background of an illness or as a result of a nervous shock. The patient observes systematic numbness and a decrease in the sensitivity of the limbs, trunk, face, as well as a noticeable change in the sensitivity of individual parts of the body. Also, patients complain of muscle and limb weakness, and they are scared by the presence of spasticity, tremor, seizures and impaired hearing, vision, smell and psyche.
Pathology diagnostics
How to detect disseminated encephalomyelitis? This pathology requires a long and high-quality diagnosis, therefore, it includes a number of medical examinations and laboratory tests, which in the future will help to correctly restore the real clinical picture and prescribe alternative treatment. So, the specialist prescribes a detailed immunogram, MR imaging, as well as blood tests to detect antibodies to various infections and rheumatic parameters.
Stages of Productive Treatment
If disseminated encephalomyelitis has still been diagnosed, treatment should be prescribed immediately.
The first stage is to stop the inflammatory process, and this must be done as soon as possible. For this, the doctor prescribes the administration of steroid hormones and the introduction of intravenous immunoglobulins. At the second stage, it is important to prevent possible recurrence of relapses, so the internal infection is intensively eliminated by means of powerful medicines, and the essence of the third stage is to restore the damaged nervous system.
However, there are still precautions that can protect the body from a disease such as disseminated encephalomyelitis. With a timely response to characteristic symptoms, this disease can be completely cured and forgotten about it once and for all.