Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system that causes inflammation and destruction of myelin, affecting nerves in the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Alternative MS treatments are usually focused on a holistic approach rather than a symptom treating approach. As such, they can often prove beneficial as a compliment to medical treatment to ease symptoms and at the same time treat the whole body by strengthening it, nourishing it, and go after the root cause of Multiple Sclerosis which is a compromised immune system.
We’ll take a brief look at a few of these alternative MS treatments below. Keep in mind that none of them work for every patient, and none of them work all the time. There have been some alternative MS treatments that have been exposed as nothing more than quackery – and none of those will be discussed here. Let your doctor know what you are doing so that you are not treating your disease with therapies that counteract each other or increase undesirable side effects.
Yoga
Stress and anxiety are right at the top of reported debilitating symptoms reported by MS patients. Yoga relieves stress and anxiety by concentrating on certain structured poses and breathing. This focuses the mind on something else and acts in the same way meditation does. The benefit of yoga over meditation in terms of alternative MS treatments is that yoga has the added benefit of stretching the muscles to reduce stiffness and pain.
Massage Therapy
People often forget that the largest organ in the human body is the skin. The skin has more sensitive nerve endings than any other organ and these nerve endings respond primarily to touch. Massage therapy relaxes muscles that are tense and soothes the entire body. It is mentally relaxing as well. So as far as helping MS, massage will relieve pain and help to reduce anxiety. It also can prepare your body better for a good night’s sleep, thus combating fatigue.
Fish Oil supplements and evening primrose oil
These supplements might sound like something that belongs in the quackery category. But studies have actually suggested that taking these supplements can reduce the length of an attack as well as its severity. They don’t seem to decrease the frequency of attacks, but clinical trials have shown that polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation and the addition of fatty acids from fish oil to the diet slows the progression of MS and reducing the severity and lengths of the attacks when they do occur.
This is in line with numerous studies that show nutrition and dietary changes have a significant positive effect on Multiple Sclerosis and any of the alternative MS treatments can be improved on with attention to the diet.
