Jan 27, 2009
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Greater Washington Chapter
The following is based on information from MS doctors and a clinical bulletin from the Complementary and Alternative Medicine program at the Rocky Mountain MS Center in Colorado.
- If a product claims to be a cure-all, avoid it. Questions to ask your doctor or CAM provider include: Has it been studied? What are the risks and purported benefits? Does it interfere with anything else I am taking? Lists of well-informed CAM providers can be found at www.naturopathic.org and www.acam.org.
- Herbal supplements are not regulated, so the quality varies between products with some containing fillers and even contaminants. Others aren’t advisable for people with MS. Consult with a professional before you invest in a supplement regimen.
- Some CAM therapies are backed by studies or have shown promising results, while others are excessively promoted but ineffective or unsafe. Many more have yet to be studied carefully in people with MS. All should be used with caution under the guidance of a doctor or CAM provider.
- Therapies that might help MS, if used appropriately, include:
- Antioxidant vitamins, including A, C and E; and vitamin D
- A low-fat diet supplemented with fish oil
- Exercise, including swimming, cycling, yoga and tai chi
- Massage
- Meditation
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractic therapy
- Ginkgo biloba (for cognitive function)
- Cooling therapy
- Horseback riding
- Practices that should be avoided because they are ineffective or unsafe, include:
- Bee-sting therapy
- Hyperbaric oxygen
- Dental mercury amalgam removal
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Download the Complementary and Alternative Medicine in MS clinical bulletin or contact the Chapter at 1-800-344-4867 and press 1 for a printed copy.