Do MS patients have alternatives?
Multiple sclerosis can be very painful. Unfortunately, there is no cure at this time. There are, however, medications to help alleviate pain associated with MS symptoms. Some people may feel that they prefer to try complementary therapies instead of adding yet more pain medication to the mix. Some of these alternative treatments are approved and used by medical doctors. Other alternative treatments are not approved and may even cause more distress for the patient.
Documentation
Alternative therapy can include a range of treatments from change of diet to exercise to lifestyle change. Alternative treatments often do not have enough research or documentation to prove their effectiveness. They are not researched because they lack the support to warrant research costs. For that reason, alternative therapy treatment approval is mostly based on anecdotal evidence. It is imperative that you weigh the risks and benefits of these treatments before actually using them.
Evening Primrose Oil
Some patients have reported that linoleic acid (evening primrose oil) has been effective in treating some of their MS symptoms. Linoleic acid is one of the omega-6 essential fatty acids and is found in sunflower seeds and safflower oil. Lower concentrations of linoleic acid are found in other vegetable oils. Research on whether lineolic acid specifically affects the length or severity of attacks in MS patients has not been proven either way. There is thought that it may take a longer study to show that lineolic acid has an effect on myelin. For now, more research is needed.
Acupuncture
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society recommends being cautious when choosing to do acupuncture treatment for MS symptoms. There has been no scientific evidence to support that acupuncture helps with bladder control, muscle spasms or pain. Evidence of efficacy has been mainly anecdotal. Some MS patients have reported that acupuncture has helped relieve pain and some symptoms and other patients have reported that acupuncture has caused relapses.
Massage
Stress and depression can exacerbate symptoms associated with MS. Some really enjoy a massage to relieve stress and depression. If your treatments have caused some osteoporosis, you may choose not to have a massage. Otherwise, research only leads to proof that a nice massage can relax your body and uplift your mood.
Vitamin D
In a controlled research lab, mice with vitamin D deficiency have been shown to have a multiple-sclerosis-like condition. There has been evidence that there are more people with MS in parts of the world where there is less sunshine. That is, unless the person eats fish high in vitamin D. This evidence has proposed the thought that vitamin D may provide protection against MS as well as provide relief for those with symptoms of MS.
Warning
Always consult with your pain-management doctor and your neurologist before trying any alternative treatment. Although you usually do not need a prescription from a doctor for most alternative therapies, some drugs may conflict with an alternative treatment and cause more harm than good.
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