Hypoxia and MS...

As you know I have been working with an Auto-Immune Nutritionist (Victoria) - one of the first things we did was an antibodies blood test to see what's going on within my body. The results came back negative 'showing no sign of autoimmunity to some of the main components of brain tissue and myelin' which you would expect to see in someone with MS. Victoria used to work with a professor who believed that MS wasn't an auto-immune disease and it was in fact linked to hypoxia.

The definition of hypoxia is "Hypoxia is a condition where not enough oxygen makes it to the cells and tissues in the body. This can happen even though blood flow is normal. Hypoxia can lead to many serious, sometimes life-threatening complications."

I've never heard of this although I vaguely remember something in the 'Living Proof' documentary on Amazon Prime talking about oxygen but I could be wrong. What is interesting is that my mum always told me how I struggled taking a bottle as a baby - I couldn't figure out how to breathe and consume the milk at the same time. Looking back I've always struggled with breathing properly, I had mild asthma throughout my teens and early adulthood but you have to wonder if it really was asthma - I never had an asthma attack, but always struggled with breathing as I've said so perhaps the cause was something else entirely.

Things have definitely improved since I came across the MS Gym with Trevor Wicken as he places a lot of focus on breathing and in particular 360 breathing and as a result my breathing has improved massively over the last couple of years. I can now down a half pint of water without stopping to breathe!! So, if he focuses so much on breathing you have to wonder whether there is some truth in the link between MS and the lack of oxygen getting to our cells.

I have a close online friend who has MS and we share our discoveries, after I told her about this she found an article about MS and Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers, and the benefits. The following is taken from that page:

What is Oxygen Therapy?

The oxygen in the air we breathe is constantly treating the day to day damage we sustain - repairing and renewing our cells. When tissues are damaged the capillaries they contain are also damaged. This reduces the flow of blood that transports oxygen, which may limit or even prevent recovery.

Being a gas, the concentration of oxygen in blood is actually determined by the air pressure surrounding us. To significantly increase the oxygen concentration in blood to improve healing a higher dose is needed - 100% oxygen delivered by a mask and the use of a sealed room, known as a “barochamber” to allow an increase in pressure.

How does it help people with MS?

The disease that results in the scarring – the sclerosis – in multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with damage to blood vessels in the nervous system. This is not blockage but leakage which leads to inflammation and hypoxia - which simply means lack of oxygen. A high level of oxygen reduces the hypoxia and the latest research has shown that it down regulates the genes that programme inflammation.1 In other words oxygen induces remission. Healing is impossible without sufficient oxygen being present.2

Does everyone benefit?

The sclerosis, that is scarring is healing just as a scar heals a cut in the skin. The objective of oxygen treatment is to help tissues heal and be able to function before the damage leads to scarring. Damage in MS patients occurs over time so the latest areas affected will be the most likely to recover. Trials have shown that patients may experience reduced levels of fatigue, improvements in balance and walking and also bladder function.3,4

Is it safe?

Oxygen Therapy is incredibly safe. With over 3 million sessions completed without a serious incident MS Therapy Centres were deregulated by an Act of Parliament in 2008. Minor problems – ear and sinus discomfort similar to that encountered in flying may occur, but, in contrast to aircraft, they can be dealt with by adjusting the pressure.

I had heard of oxygen treatment previously when I first started my Lemtrada treatment but I was never informed of the benefits or the potential link between MS and Hypoxia. I wasn't able to have the treatment at that time due to my low immune system so didn't really look into it any further. It frustrates me that not one neurologist has ever mentioned the benefits of this therapy to me. Instead I've only ever been offered drugs to help with my MS and the last thing I want to do is pump my body full of chemicals and why is it that these alternative therapies are not discussed. I understand they don't have time and writing a prescription for drugs is much easier for them and but why not have a booklet of real factual information for newly diagnosed patients or for those like me who went years without impacting symptoms and then found myself in front of a neurologist with clear gait issues. I know I mention it time and time again but that's because it is so infuriating to discover 5 years down the line that I perhaps could have stopped my mobility getting so bad. I could understand this in 2003 when I was first diagnosed but in 2015 when I next went back in front of someone perhaps they should have presented all the options to me and then let me decide which route to take.....

Moving on, I found my nearest MS centre that has a the hyperbaric chamber - it's not that close in fact it will take me almost an hour to get there but it's cheap (free or donation) and if it helps me then it will be worth the round trip to get there and back. I have to say I am so impressed with how organised they are, I called this morning to enquire. They phoned me back within about 20 minutes to take more details and then another 30 minutes and I was booked in for Monday! Very efficient. I am not looking forward to the driving but I am excited to be trying the therapy out. The session takes an hour 20 minutes and you can take a book, drink and food with you and you just chill out in the room. Depending on how my body handles it I can book in again as soon as they have availability. It is free for those who can't afford to make a donation but even then the donation amount is only £10 which seems very cheap. They love people to make donations and raise money so I will share a link to help them after my first session.

Will update you on Monday as to how I get on! Nothing much else to report - I got up early this morning and did my Optimal Balance workout and I've got some work to do this afternoon.

Let me know if you've been in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and if you have seen benefits - I am intrigued to know...

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