Are there any natural cures neurofibromatosis?
Posted By admin On July 4th 2011. Under Natural Cures .
I have Type 1 of neurofibromatosis and surgery is pricey are the any Natural Cures for it.
Sorry, there are no cures and even with surgery, you are not cured. The tumors can still
grow back. You only have surgery to remove tumor, if doctors feel they need to be
removed, otherwise they really do not like removing them. I have had two surgeries.
I have NF type 1, but sadly I am not on disability and I am having a hard time finding a
job in this economy, not to mention the fact Michigan has no jobs now, at least nothing
that does not require some medical school. Originally posted 2010-02-10 23:21:10.
3 Responses to “Are there any natural cures neurofibromatosis?”
1. sugarplum1960 says:
February 11, 2010 at 4:55 am
There is no cure for the disease itself. Instead, a team of specialists to manage
symptoms or complications follows people with neurofibromatosis.
References :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurofibromatosis
2. fredtn79 says:
February 11, 2010 at 5:36 am
Hello i have Neurofibromatosis also type 1 and there is no cure you just have to
treat the problem yes its pricey i am thankful i am on disability just it cover
everything even meds
References :
3. Lindsay G says:
February 11, 2010 at 6:19 am
Sorry, there are no cures and even with surgery, you are not cured. The tumors
can still grow back. You only have surgery to remove tumor, if doctors feel they
need to be removed, otherwise they really do not like removing them. I have had
two surgeries.I have NF type 1, but sadly I am not on disability and I am having a
hard time finding a job in this economy, not to mention the fact Michigan has no
jobs now, at least nothing that does not require some medical school.
Neurofibromatosis-1 - Treatment
Alternative Names
NF1; Von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis
Treatment:
There is no specific treatment for neurofibromatosis. Tumors that cause pain or loss of
function may be removed. Tumors that have grown quickly should be removed promptly
as they may become cancerous (malignant). Experimental treatments for severe tumors
are under investigation.
Some children with learning disorders may need special schooling.
Expectations (prognosis):
If there are no complications, the life expectancy of people with neurofibromatosis is
almost normal. With the right education and job expectations, people with
neurofibromatosis can live a normal life.
Although mental impairment is generally mild, NF1 is a known cause of attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder in a small number of patients. Learning disabilities are a common
problem. Some people are treated differently because they have hundreds of tumors on
their skin. Patients with neurofibromatosis have an increased chance of developing severe
tumors. In rare cases, these can shorten a person's lifespan.
Complications:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Blindness caused by a tumor in an optic nerve (optic glioma)
Break in the leg bones that does not heal well
Cancerous tumors
Loss of function in nerves that a neurofibroma has put pressure on over the long
term
Pheochromocytoma, which causes very high blood pressure
Regrowth of NF tumors
Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine
Tumors of the face, skin, and other exposed areas
Calling your health care provider:
Call your health care provider if:
You notice coffee-with-milk colored spots on your child's skin or any of the signs
listed here.
You have a family history of neurofibromatosis and are planning to have children,
or would like to have your child examined.
What is Neurofibromatosis?
The neurofibromatoses are genetic disorders that cause tumors to grow in the nervous
system. The tumors begin in the supporting cells that make up the nerves and the myelin
sheath--the thin membrane that envelops and protects the nerves. These disorders cause
tumors to grow on nerves and produce other abnormalities such as skin changes and bone
deformities. Although many affected persons inherit the disorder, between 30 and 50
percent of new cases arise spontaneously through mutation (change) in an individual's
genes. Once this change has taken place, the mutant gene can be passed on to succeeding
generations. Scientists have classified the disorders as neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1),
neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), and schwannomatosis, a type that was once considered
to be a variation of NF2. NF1 is the more common type of the neurofibromatoses. In
diagnosing NF1, a physician looks for changes in skin appearance, tumors, or bone
abnormalities, and/or a parent, sibling, or child with NF1. Symptoms of NF1, which may
be evident at birth and nearly always by the time the child is 10 years old, may include
light brown spots on the skin ("cafe-au-lait" spots), two or more growths on the iris of the
eye, a tumor on the optic nerve, a larger than normal head circumference, and abnormal
development of the spine, a skull bone, or the tibia. NF2 is less common and is
characterized by slow-growing tumors on the eighth cranial nerves. The tumors cause
pressure damage to neighboring nerves. To determine whether an individual has NF2, a
physician looks for eighth nerve tumors, cataracts at an early age or changes in the retina
that may affect vision, other nervous system tumors and similar signs and symptoms in a
parent, sibling, or child. The distinctive feature of schwannomatosis is the development
of multiple schwannomas (tumors made up of certain cells) everywhere in the body
except on the vestibular branch of the 8th cranial nerve. The dominant symptom is pain,
which develops as a schwannoma enlarges or compresses nerves or adjacent tissue.
Some people may develop numbness, tingling, or weakness in the fingers and toes.
Is there any treatment?
Surgery is often recommended to remove the tumors. Some NF1 tumors may become
cancerous, and treatment may include surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. Surgery,
radiation, and chemotherapy also may be used to control or reduce the size of optic nerve
tumors when vision is threatened. Some bone malformations can be corrected surgically
For NF2, improved diagnostic technologies, such as MRI, can reveal tumors as small as a
few millimeters in diameter, thus allowing early treatment. Surgery to remove tumors
completely is one option but may result in hearing loss. Surgery also can correct cataracts
and retinal abnormalities.
There is no currently accepted medical treatment or drug for schwanomatosis, but
surgical management is often effective. Pain usually subsides when tumors are removed
completely. Genetic testing is available for families with documented cases of NF1 and
NF2 but such testing for schwannomatosis currently does not exist.
What is the prognosis?
In most cases, symptoms of NF1 are mild, and individuals live normal and productive
lives. In some cases, however, NF1 can be severely debilitating and may cause cosmetic
and psychological issues. The course of NF2 varies greatly among individuals. In some
cases of NF2, the damage to nearby vital structures, such as other cranial nerves and the
brain stem, can be life-threatening. Most individuals with schwannomatosis have
significant pain. In some extreme cases the pain will be severe and disabling.
What research is being done?
Several years ago, research teams located the exact position of the NF1 gene on
chromosome 17. The product of the NF1 gene is a large and complex protein called
neurofibromin, which is primarily active in nervous cells as a regulator of cell division.
Intensive efforts have let to the identification of the NF2 gene on chromosome 22. The
NF2 gene product is a tumor-suppressor protein called merlin. Ongoing research
continues to discover additional genes that appear to play a role in NF-related tumor
suppression or growth. Other research is aimed at understanding how the genetic
mutations that cause the benign tumors of NF1 also cause nerve cells and nerve networks
to form abnormally during fetal development, which later result in the learning
disabilities and cognitive deficits of children with the disorder. Additional research is
aimed at understanding the natural history of tumors in NF2 and determining possible
factors that may regular their growth patterns. The Interinstitute Medical Genetics
Research Program at the NIH Clinical Center conducts NF2 family history research.
Using specimens from some of the families, scientists have isolated and sequenced the
NF2 gene and have described two different patterns of clinical features in NF2 patients.
Investigators are continuing to study these patterns to see if they correspond to specific
types of gene mutations.