Medicine
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What Are the Benefits of Liberation Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis?

Lee Johnson
Lee Johnson

The benefits of liberation therapy for multiple sclerosis are that the condition could be cured as a result of the treatment. The treatment assumes that chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is the cause of the condition, and performs an angioplasty to fix the problem. Research has shown that sufferers from multiple sclerosis are at least 3.7 times more likely to suffer from CCSVI. The opening of the blood vessels theoretically prevents the build-up of iron and blood within the brain and thereby prevents the immune system from attacking the brain. Multiple sclerosis is known to be an auto-immune condition where the immune system attacks myelin, which causes motor and cognitive problems.

If the theory of Dr. Paolo Zamboni is correct, liberation therapy for multiple sclerosis is a cure for the condition. Symptoms of the condition such as vertigo, fatigue, muscle spasm and bowel and bladder dysfunction could be corrected by the procedure. Research has shown that 73 percent of patients given the procedure experience no symptoms up to two years later. The effectiveness of the procedure hinges on the assumption that CCSVI is the cause of multiple sclerosis. If research finds that the problem is caused by CCSVI, then liberation therapy provides a potential cure for the condition.

A person with multiple sclerosis may experience tremors in the hands and feet that make movement and grip difficult.
A person with multiple sclerosis may experience tremors in the hands and feet that make movement and grip difficult.

Studies conducted into the relationship between multiple sclerosis and CCSVI have had mixed results. Overall, research has found that multiple sclerosis sufferers are between 3.7 and 13.5 times more likely to have CCSVI. The range in these results depends on the inclusion of a study conducted by Dr. Zamboni, which found that 95 percent of patients with multiple sclerosis also have CCSVI. Critics have argued that researchers may be unconsciously biased, and point out that the results of the ultrasound performed to confirm the condition can be influenced. Pressing harder on the affected veins or requesting the patient to breathe more deeply can cause an appearance of CCSVI.

Multiple sclerosis is a disorder that arises when an individual's immune system attacks the myelin sheaths surrounding axons in the central nervous system.
Multiple sclerosis is a disorder that arises when an individual's immune system attacks the myelin sheaths surrounding axons in the central nervous system.

The invention of liberation therapy for multiple sclerosis is based on the observation that the veins responsible for draining blood from the brain are constricted in multiple sclerosis patients. If these veins are constricted, it could cause increased blood pressure and a build-up of blood in the brain. The blood could then release iron into the brain, which is not supposed to be there. The increased pressure on the blood vessels could cause tiny ruptures, which allow immune cells to escape into the brain. The immune cells could attack the iron to try to remove it and cause damage to the myelin in the brain.

Liberation therapy for some MS patients includes angioplasty surgery.
Liberation therapy for some MS patients includes angioplasty surgery.

Multiple sclerosis is an auto-immune disease caused by the body’s immune system attacking myelin. Myelin is a vital component of the brain and helps to carry vital signals between the neurons. If the patient’s myelin is damaged, that area of the brain ceases to work correctly. This causes a variety of different multiple sclerosis symptoms, depending on the specific location within the brain that is affected.

Discuss this Article

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • A person with multiple sclerosis may experience tremors in the hands and feet that make movement and grip difficult.
      By: Simone van den Berg
      A person with multiple sclerosis may experience tremors in the hands and feet that make movement and grip difficult.
    • Multiple sclerosis is a disorder that arises when an individual's immune system attacks the myelin sheaths surrounding axons in the central nervous system.
      By: designua
      Multiple sclerosis is a disorder that arises when an individual's immune system attacks the myelin sheaths surrounding axons in the central nervous system.
    • Liberation therapy for some MS patients includes angioplasty surgery.
      By: designua
      Liberation therapy for some MS patients includes angioplasty surgery.
    • Individuals with multiple sclerosis may experience loss of muscle control necessary to perform ordinary tasks, such as teeth brushing.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Individuals with multiple sclerosis may experience loss of muscle control necessary to perform ordinary tasks, such as teeth brushing.
    • While multiple sclerosis is not hereditary, having a first-degree relative with multiple sclerosis significantly increases an individual's risk of developing the disease.
      By: bst2012
      While multiple sclerosis is not hereditary, having a first-degree relative with multiple sclerosis significantly increases an individual's risk of developing the disease.