There have been recent reports on social media outlets (who almost never get things right) that multiple sclerosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.

Is that true?  It might or might not be partially true.

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Breaking down the term “multiple sclerosis”, “multiple” means many and “sclerosis” means scarring.  Multiple sclerosis (MS) literally means many scars to the myelin sheathing of the nerves in the brain and spinal cord.  These scars accumulate throughout the course of the disease.

MS is an immune system attack of the myelin sheathing, the layer of “insulation” that forms around nerves, specifically those of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord).  The myelin sheathing protects the nerves and facilitates nerve transmissions.  If the myelin sheathing is damaged, the nerve signals will travel more slowly or be blocked entirely, causing neurological problems.

In MS, the body’s own immune system attacks the myelin sheathing causing its degeneration.

What Does MS Do?

The central nervous system (CNS) refers to the nerves in the brain and spinal cord.  The other nerves in the body comprise the peripheral nervous system (PNS).  Nerve impulses travel to and from the CNS and PNS to control the body’s organs, muscles, and senses.  

MS impedes nerve impulses between the CNS and PNS and can cause such things as vision loss in an eye, numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, muscle spasms, urinary incontinence, difficulty walking, fatigue, and other symptoms.

Diagnosing MS

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society notes that “At this time, there are no symptoms, physical findings or laboratory tests that can, by themselves, determine if you have MS”.   

There are several health conditions that can create the same symptoms as MS.  These disorders can include infection or inflammation of the CNS, genetic disorders, brain tumors, nutritional deficiencies, structural damage of the brain or spinal cord, and other diseases related to the loss of myelin.

Some of the tools used in diagnosing MS can include analysis of a thorough medical history, MRI, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and blood tests.

The current criteria for diagnosing MS are:

• evidence from medical imaging such as MRI of damage in at least two separate areas of the central nervous system (CNS), including the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves AND
• evidence from medical imaging such as MRI that the damage occurred at different points in time AND
• all other possible diagnoses ruled out

What Causes MS?

MS is characterized as an autoimmune disease, one in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.  Saying “autoimmune disease” is not incorrect, but it’s a very sweeping term as there are more than 90 different autoimmune diseases and it is possible to have more than one autoimmune disorder at the same time.

What causes the immune system to go haywire and start attacking healthy tissue?

Over the years, there have been multiple theories about what causes autoimmune disease generally and MS specifically.  Over the last few decades, MS was thought to be caused by a vitamin deficiency, then chemical toxicity, then vascular disorders, then dysglycemia (blood sugar disorders), then lack of exercise, then yeast, then metals toxicity, and now viral infection.

Which theory is correct?  Perhaps all of them.

One study, among others, notes that:

New sets of data are contributing to a new view of MS. Contrasting reports about MS pathology might be explained by considering MS as not only one disorder but a group of diseases with possible different subsets of pathogenetic factors variably interacting with each other. 

MS is essentially the symptom, the outcome of multiple factors that can include infection, toxicity, poor diet, lack of exercise, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, dysglycemia (which can be brought about by poor diet), and other environmental and lifestyle factors affecting health.

The point of the recent research into a possible link between Epstein-Barr Virus and MS was to try to establish which virus(es) contribute to the development or worsening of MS.  

Unfortunately, some of the less-than-credible sources on social media channels (who apparently didn’t read the studies or who didn’t really understand them) have been suggesting that MS is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.  That might be only partially true.

The Epstein-Barr virus may (or may not) be one of many factors in the onset and development of MS, but there is no one single cause of MS.  

Can MS be Cured?

There is currently no cure for MS but lifestyle factors such as a good diet, exercise, restful sleep, and effective treatment of contributing health conditions can go a long way to alleviating the symptoms of MS.

As with any other health condition, the combination of factors contributing to MS will vary from person to person.  Each individual’s needs are unique and personal to them, and each will need a custom-tailored program designed by a qualified health care professional to address their specific needs.

Green Apple Health Care practices Cause Based Medicine™ which is the systematic process of finding and treating the core cause of health concerns by using a classic naturopathic approach combined with scientific research to optimize patient outcomes.

Our focus is cause-based.  We are relentless in identifying the root cause, the “why” behind the symptoms, and we address our treatment programs to the cause of the health condition, not the symptoms.

Call us at (780) 485-9468 to book a consultation.  If you prefer, online booking is available for both new patients and repeat patients.