This is a nervous system disease which is causing skin defects and tumors on the nerve tissues. Also, neurofibromatosis can lead to other problems. This disease usually worsens as the time passes. There is no cure for neurofibromatosis but treatment can help to control the symptoms. The symptoms of neurofibromatosis are different which depends on what type of neurofibromatosis you have.
Some of the symptoms of neurofibromatosis type 1 are headaches and seizures; short stature; oversized head in children; bone or skeletal problems, such as bowed legs or curvature of the spine; harmless, flat, light brown spots that appear at birth or during early childhood; high blood pressure; speech and vision problems, etc. Some of the symptoms of neurofibromatosis type 2 are seizures; hearing loss, often in both ears; frequent and persistent headaches; ringing in the ears; problems with speech and swallowing; problems with balance, dizziness; facial numbness; weakness, numbness or tingling in an arm or leg, etc. Schwannomatosis is also type of neurofibromatosis which is causing tumors on nerves of the brain and spinal cord and nerves in the legs and arms.
The symptoms of this type include intense pain which can happen anywhere in the body. Also, tingling or numbness in the fingers and toes can happen. You need to talk with your doctor if you suffer from neurofibromatosis before you start taking some of the below mentioned home remedies.
Home remedies for neurofibromatosis
Aloe Vera: This home remedy is one of the best remedies for many different diseases and it can be used as a home remedy for neurofibromatosis. You can extract the gel from the Aloe Vera leaves because it is rich in immune boosting nutrients. Also, Aloe Vera can attack abnormal cells and it will eliminate them from the body while at the same time it will leave healthy cells intact. [1]
Bee propolis: This is a natural compound created by bees and it has been found that it is effective in the treatment of neurofibromatosis. It has anti – carcinogenic properties which can block and reverse the development of tumors. Also, this natural cure is rich in nutrients which can boost the immune system of your body. [2]
Garlic: This natural cure is known as natural immune booster agent. It can enhance your immune functions due to its antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties. It has an active ingredient known as allicin which can help in the fight against infections. This natural cure has Vitamin C and Vitamin B6 which can help to boost the immune system. You should eat two to three raw garlic cloves on an empty stomach daily. You can add crushed garlic in your dishes. [3]
Green tea: You should take green tea on regular basis because in this way you will boost your immunity. It has antioxidants which can protect your body from free – radical damage and this will keep your immune system strong [4]. You should steep a green tea bag in a cup of hot water for five minutes. You should remove the tea bag, add honey in it and then drink it. You should drink two to three cups of green tea on daily basis.
Yogurt: You should avoid dairy products and if you are addicted to dairy products, then you should use only yogurt.
Acupuncture: This technique can help you in the treatment of neurofibromatosis so you should visit trained acupuncturist to do it.
Avoid sugar: You should not use sugars in your diet because they have side effects in your body. You should consume honey. Add berries in your diet so you will satisfy your sweet cravings in natural way.
Vitamin C: This vitamin is possessing anti – oxidant properties which is a reason why it is used as a home remedy for many diseases [5]. You can use this vitamin as your natural treatment for neurofibromatosis because it can reduce the size of tumor and eliminate it.
Apple cider vinegar: You can use the apple cider vinegar to alleviate the skin spots caused by neurofibromatosis. You should make a mixture of 40% apple cider vinegar, 40% of water and 20% honey. You should apply this home remedy on the skin spots and do it two to three times per day. Before you go to bed you should pad the spots with propolis tincture and then anoint with Nikeprop ointment without massaging the affected area.
Rosemary essential oil: This natural cure has been extensively used since ancient times due to its health benefits. You can use it as your home remedy for neurofibromatosis because it will help you in the treatment of nerve pain [6]. You should apply rosemary essential oil on regular basis.
Vitamin E: This vitamin has anti – oxidant properties which can help to slow tumors. You should talk with your doctor before you start using Vitamin E as your home remedy for neurofibromatosis before it is not proven that this vitamin can help you for sure and there are some doubts that it could lead to side effects. [7]
Cat’s claw: This natural cure has powerful antioxidant properties. It can help to boost your immune system and also it is possessing anti – tumor properties.
Ginger: In the Ayurvedic medicine this home remedy was used as an immune booster. It can help to break down toxins which are accumulated in the body [8]. Also, it can help to improve the blood circulation. You should include ginger in your diet to get its benefits. You can use ginger in juice, dried, powder or liquid form.
Vitamin B: This vitamin can be used in the natural treatment for neurofibromatosis. There are some studies in which are shown that it can help to reduce and eliminate the size of tumors. [9]
Lavender essential oil: This oil is antibacterial in nature. It can help to eliminate the nervous tension and relieve pain [10]. You should apply it on regular basis because this home remedy can help you in the treatment of neurofibromatosis.
Colloidal silver: This home remedy has anti – toxin compounds which can help in the treatment of tumors. This is a reason why it can be used as a home remedy for neurofibromatosis but always talk with your doctor before you start using it so in this way you will be sure that you will avoid side effects.
Jasmine essential oil: This essential oil possesses antiseptic and sedative properties. It is extracted from the flowers of jasmine. This essential oil can help to treat the nerve pain. You should apply it on regular basis to get a relief from neurofibromatosis. [11]
Turmeric: We know that the neurofibromatosis is happening as a result of inactivation of tumor suppressor gene which leads to growth of tumor. The gene which is related to neurofibromatosis leads to the formation of merlin which is protein and when this protein is activated, then it can prevent the tumor growth. It has been found that curcumin, a component of turmeric, can inhibit the growth of schwannoma cells. Also, it activates an enzyme which further activates merlin in order to stop the tumor growth.
It has been found that the curcumin in a combination with a heat shock protein inhibitor can help in the natural treatment of neurofibromatosis. There are some studies in which are shown that this home remedy can suppress tumor formation and it will prevent the tumor growth in neurofibromatosis type 2. Also, this home remedy can help to reduce the nerve pain or neuropathic pain by decreasing the level of COX – 2 enzyme that is playing an essential role in the inflammation and pain. [12]
This natural cure is acting as painkiller or analgesic due to its anti – inflammatory properties. Also, it can help to alleviate the depression that is associated with chronic pain. Those tumors which are happening in neurofibromatosis are non cancerous but there are some cases when malignancy can develop. Curcumin is anti – cancer agent. It can block the brain tumor formation. It has chemoprotective, anti – tumor and anti – cancer properties which can reduce the development of malignancy in neurofibromatosis.
Gluten – free diet: You should not add gluten in your diet because it is not good for the neurofibromatosis.
Maintain a healthy weight: It is very important to stay at healthy weight. You can do exercises which can help you to lose weight if you need to. Talk with your doctor about which is the best exercise for your neurofibromatosis.
Avoid alcohol: You should avoid alcohol as much as you can. If you use it, you should use it only in small amounts. You should not drink every day because alcohol can worsen your condition.
References:
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[2] Premratanachai P, Chanchao C. Review of the anticancer activities of bee products. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 2014;4(5):337–44.
[3] Arreola R, Quintero-Fabian S, Lopez-Roa RI, et al. Immunomodulation and anti-inflammatory effects of garlic compounds. Journal of Immunology Research. 2015;2015:401630.
[4] Chacko SM, Thambi PT, Kuttan R, Nishigaki I. Beneficial effects of green tea: A literature review. Chinese Medicine. 2010;5:13.
[5] Bendich A, Machlin LJ, Scandurra O, et al. The antioxidant role of vitamin C. Advances in Free Radical Biology & Medicine. 1986;2(2):419-44.
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[7] Jiang Q. Natural forms of Vitamin E as effective agents for cancer prevention and therapy. Advances in Nutrition. 2017;8(6):850-67.
[8] Mashhadi NS, Ghiasvand R, Askari G, et al. Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger in health and physical activity: Review of current evidence. International Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2013;4(Suppl 1):S36–S42.
[9] Mikkelsen K, Prakash MD, Kuol N, et al. Anti-tumor effects of Vitamin B2, B6 and B9 in promonocytic lymphoma cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2019;20(15):3763.
[10] Koulivand PH, Ghadiri MK, Gorji A. Lavender and the nervous system. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2013;2013:681304.
[11] Kaviani M, Maghbool S, Azima S, Tabaei MH. Comparison of the effect of aromatherapy with Jasminum officinale and Salvia officinale on pain severity and labor outcome in nulliparous women. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research. 2014;19(6):666–72.
[12] Bachmeier BE, Killian PH, Melchart D. The role of curcumin in prevention and management of metastatic disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2018;19(6):1716.
