Miraculous MS Cure

[davefoc]

I thought the report of the miraculous recovery of the lady diagnosed with MS was interesting.

From the sound of the report, the woman had had significant disabilities including a 70% paralysis below the waist. She had been diagnosed with MS about 5 years earlier. She heard a loud pop during her nightly stretching exercises and suddenly she was cured.

The husband's theory seems to be that the pop somehow allowed blood to flow through the body and this almost instantly cured his wife. He also made reference to a magic wand as sort of a joke.

Does anybody have any thoughts about this case? Is it possible the woman's troubles were psychosomatic? It seems that a blood flow blockage like the one described would have been diagnosed. I believe the diagnosis of MS is arrived at by excluding other causes rather than finding a specific problem (not sure of this) which if true might make MS diagnoses more subject than some other diagnoses to being completely wrong.

 

[BillyJoe]

davefoc,

The husband's theory seems to be that the pop somehow allowed blood to flow through the body and this almost instantly cured his wife.

More likely "the pop somehow allowed" nerve impulses "to flow through" nerve fibres. These may have been pinched as a result of some mechanical problem in the spine

He also made reference to a magic wand as sort of a joke.

Surely it is a joke.

Is it possible the woman's troubles were psychosomatic?

It is certainly possible but I would think that other possible factors should be excluded before resorting to that diagnosis.

It seems that a blood flow blockage like the one described would have been diagnosed.

Yes it would - cold, pale, pulseless legs for example.

I believe the diagnosis of MS is arrived at by excluding other causes rather than finding a specific problem (not sure of this) which if true might make MS diagnoses more subject than some other diagnoses to being completely wrong.

An MRI scan usually picks up signs of demyelination within the brain or spinal cord.

BillyJoe

 

[arcticpenguin]

It is possible for doctors to misdiagnose. Especially if you're dealing with an HMO and they're trying to pinch a few pennies by not allowing an MRI because they already took full X-rays, or some such.

 

[davefoc]

Thanks for the very informative response, BillyJoe. It sounds like you know what you're talking about or you are one great B***s***er. I especially liked your thought about how to diagnose restricted blood flow to the legs. It does seem that cold, pale, pulseless legs is a clue that somebody would have picked up on in her diangosis.

Just how plausible did you think the story was? Does this kind of thing happen very often?

As to AP's question about misdiagnosing MS, is it possible she still has MS but that wasn't her main problem.

 

[BillyJoe]

Thanks for the very informative response, BillyJoe. It sounds like you know what you're talking about or you are one great B***s***er.

Maybe, but, if I am, I don't know that I am.
Doesn't mean I can't have made a mistake though.

Just how plausible did you think the story was? Does this kind of thing happen very often?

I think it probably did happen and also that it wouldn't happen very often.
The man telling the story is a sceptic and a bit of a joker (a very good combination that some posters at JREF apparently do not appreciate by the way). He is probably telling the truth more or less but this is not to say that he might not be embellishing his story for dramatic effect (contrary to popular opinion, even sceptics are human) .

As to AP's question about misdiagnosing MS, is it possible she still has MS but that wasn't her main problem.

Yes, she could have two diagnoses. She might have a relatively asymptomatic form of MS. This is not rare.

(In fact my sister has MS and her only symptoms are occasional dizziness and tiredness and it's not even certain that these symptoms are caused by the MS. She does, however, have the typical appearances on her MRI scan. However her Neurologist expects her to more or less live a normal life although he can't be completely certain about this.)

If she did have MS in the first place, she probably still has it and was cured of an entirely separate condition such as, for example, a mechanical derangement of her spine (which would be somewhat less miraculous).

 

[BobM]

More likely "the pop somehow allowed" nerve impulses "to flow through" nerve fibres. These may have been pinched as a result of some mechanical problem in the spine

So.. she would likely have been cured by a chiropracter and a little SMT.

Help me out here.. is that ironic?

 

[BillyJoe]

......either that or he could have transected her cord and paraplegified her......