Disseminated encephalomyelitis: a real clinical picture and possible outcome of treatment

Disseminated encephalomyelitis (SEM) is a frightening diagnosis, which today began to occur frequently in modern medicine. To begin with, we will clarify that for this pathology the inflammatory process prevailing in the brain and spinal cord is characterized, which is provoked by the aggressive reaction of one's own immunity to the proteins of its nervous system.

Here the main thing is not to confuse this pathology with multiple sclerosis, although both diseases have a similar symptomatology. It is important to clarify that disseminated encephalomyelitis occurs in acute form, and multiple sclerosis has a chronic character with subsequent relapses and improvements. SEM can be the start of the progression of multiple sclerosis, so you should be vigilant about restoring the immunity functions after the disseminated encephalomyelitis.

Possible reasons

However, in order to correctly select the scheme of productive treatment, it is necessary to find out the cause of this pathological process reliably. Often pathogenic factors are the following underlying causes: hereditary predisposition, the transfer of serious emotional shocks and direct infection with a microbe, similar in physiological features to the structure of their proteins with certain proteins of the nervous system of the affected organism. What happens in the body, how does this anomaly?

The object of damage is the insulating layer of the conducting 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.

Alarm signals

The diffuse encephalomyelitis is rapidly progressing, the symptoms of which become apparent against the background of the transferred disease 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 perceptible change in the sensitivity of individual parts of the body. Also, patients complain of weakness of muscles and limbs, and they are frightened by the presence of spasticity, tremors, seizures and hearing, vision, smell and psyche.

Diagnosis of pathology

How to identify disseminated encephalomyelitis? This pathology requires a long and qualitative diagnosis, therefore includes a number of medical examinations and laboratory studies that will later help to correctly restore the real clinical picture and prescribe an alternative treatment. So, the expert appoints a detailed immunogram, MR-tomography, and also blood tests for the detection of antibodies to various infections and rheumatic parameters.

Stages of productive treatment

If nevertheless the disseminated encephalomyelitis was diagnosed, treatment should be appointed immediately.

The first stage is the stopping of the inflammatory process, and it is necessary to do this as soon as possible. For this, the doctor prescribes the administration of steroid hormones and the administration of intravenous immunoglobulins. At the second stage, it is important to prevent possible recurrence recurrence, therefore, internal infection is intensively eliminated by means of powerful medications, and the essence of the third stage is the restoration of the damaged nervous system.

However, there are also precautions that can protect the body from a disease such as disseminated encephalomyelitis. With a timely response to the characteristic symptoms, this disease can be completely cured and forgotten about it once and for all.