Natural Remedies for Charcot Marie Tooth Disease

| Modified on Oct 27, 2015
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Many health conditions can be illusive or even deceiving, and Charcot Marie Tooth disease is no different. Upon first hearing the name, you likely thought this condition had something to do with your mouth; however, it actually has nothing to do with your teeth or gums but is rather a condition that affects the nerves in your arms and legs (named for the three doctors who discovered it in 1886). In any case, while there are no cures for the disease, a number of different therapies and supplements are effective for managing the condition including vitamin C, physical therapy, and yoga.

What Is Charcot Marie Tooth Disease?

Also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, Charcot Marie Tooth disease (CMT) is actually a name used to categorize a group of hereditary disorders. These issues damage the nerves in your arms or legs or your “peripheral nerves.”

The symptoms of the condition are sometimes hard to identify initially as the disease typically develops asymptomatically. As the condition progresses, you will likely experience weakness in your legs and feet, muscle loss in your legs and feet, high foot arches, curled toes, decreased ability to run, difficulty lifting your feet, awkward or higher than normal gait, frequent tripping or falling, and decreased sensation or feeling in your legs and feet. These symptoms may also develop in your hands and arms.

Are There Any Natural Cures for Charcot Marie Tooth Disease?

While there are not any known cures for the condition, there are a number of treatment options that can help you manage Charcot Marie Tooth disease. Most individuals experience little to no pain in conjunction with the disease, so the focus of treatment generally lies within maintaining muscle mass and use. Effective remedies for the condition include physical therapy, stretching or yoga, and exercise. Vitamin C has also been recently identified as an effective supplement for treating the condition.

1. Physical Therapy

As CMT often involves the weakening of muscles, physical therapy and strength training are important treatment options. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the most effective physical therapy regimens involve muscle strength training, ligament stretching, stamina training and aerobic exercise. Therapists typically create a treatment program paired with a home exercise program to help affected individuals maintain and even improve muscle strength and flexibility.

2. Yoga

As muscle rigidity is another issue associated with Charcot Marie Tooth, stretching is an important component of treatment. Yoga is one of the most effective training practices for improving flexibility and balance. Yoga also helps realign the body and correct any issues in muscle development.

3. Vitamin C

Dr. Davide Pareyson of the National Neurological Institute presents vitamin C as an effective treatment for CMT. Research suggests that vitamin C effectively limits and even reverses neuropathy. The nutrient does so as it is an antioxidant that decreases the expression of the hereditary material that causes CMT. For the best results, begin taking 75mg of vitamin C by mouth every day.

As research continues, more treatment options are uncovered for Charcot Marie Tooth. Read below for more reader-contributed suggestions for how to cope with and treat CMT.

References:

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Fact Sheet - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/ charcot_marie_tooth/detail_charcot_marie_tooth.htm
Diseases and Conditions: Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease - http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/charcot-marie-tooth-disease/basics/definition/con-20029920
Vitamin C for the Treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease - http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/ ss06/charcotmarietooth.html




CMTD Link to Psychotic Disorders

Posted by Gabby (Shepherdstown, Wv) on 10/25/2015

Charcot Marie Tooth disease and other demyelination disorders are linked to Psychotic disorders

I would greatly appreciate the studies that show how Myelination disorders are linked to "mental illness" or psychotic disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. If this information was more public maybe more people would be getting better and not looking at those people with harsh stigma. If they knew that it was because the outer coating of their nerves were often worn thin due to Demyelination, whether from a brain lesion or the genetic disorder charcot marie tooth which I have the gene for--so I know for sure.

My mother is psychotic and she also has charcot marie tooth. My dream is that one day we will stop looking at people based biasedly on their behaviors knowing the genetic factors and causes of these biological disorders which are not random chemical imbalances. CMT is just one example of a rare illness that creates the rare psychosis affected by toxic oxidative stress.

I'd like to see radical new science and alternatives posted on earth clinic because if you could cure myelination you could cure and reverse the damage of psychosis, did you know that? This is one of many sites who boldly point to this theory. Thanks!!

http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/news/20030904/schizophrenia-bipolar-may-share-cause?page=2

Replied by Rsw
(Oh)
10/26/2015

Hi Gabby,

Lion's Mane mushroom is proving very effective in rebuilding the myelin sheath in MS. It is non-toxic, and may be beneficial. There are many articles about this on the web. Google Lion's mane mushroom and myelin sheath. Just one article can be found here:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12675022

Best wishes.