There is no cure for Mediterranean Disease, a condition also referred to as Familial Mediterranean Fever. The range and duration of symptoms will vary from one individual to the next, however treating Mediterranean Disease is very easy.  Though no cure exists for Mediterranean Disease, treating your condition will manage your symptoms and provide you effective relief.
The most common treatment for Mediterranean Disease is through the administration of a drug called Colchicine.  This drug is taken in oral form, by pill, and will reduce the inflammation in your system that is causing your pain.  For many, one pill a day may be enough, for others, several doses of Colchicine will be required to manage symptoms.  In some cases, patients are able to predict when an attack of their symptoms of Mediterranean Disease will occur, and can take preventive measures by taking their medication when they feel an attack is imminent.  This will stop your attack from occurring.  Unfortunately, taking your medication after an attack occurs is not as effective, but it will provide you symptomatic relief.

So long as you are sticking to your schedule of Colchicine medication, the intensity and frequency of your symptoms will decrease.  Staying on your regimen will also lower any risk of complications you may experience from Mediterranean Disease.  Side effects of Colchicine will include some tingling and numbness in your feet or your hands, and in some cases muscle weakness.  Muscle weakness is most likely to occur in patients that are older males that have poor kidney function, or are heavy drinkers.

It is also said that the symptoms and signs of Mediterranean Disease will diminish and decrease as you age, and for many, with pregnancy.  It is not clear to date as to why these times will improve symptoms, but it is possibly due to changes that occur in your immune system as you age or when you are pregnant.

Dietary changes may also improve your symptoms.  Some patients with Mediterranean Disease report that by sticking to a low-fat diet they experience reduced symptoms and less frequent attacks.  Another side effect of Colchicine is lactose intolerance, so you may want to consume a lactose free diet when you are undergoing Colchicine treatment.

There is no cure to Mediterranean Disease, but management of your signs and symptoms is possible.  Stick to your medication schedule and do not put yourself under rigorous activity or stress if possible.  Treating Mediterranean Disease and its symptoms is easy if you stay on your prescribed course of action.

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 1st, 2009 at 5:48 pm and is filed under Treating Mediterranean Disease. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.