Complementary Treatment Methods for MS

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a widely used healing method. Homeopathy is based on the hypothesis that a highly diluted medicine can heal precisely the symptoms that it produces in an increased dose. People affected by MS specialized homeopathy report relief of neurological symptoms, bladder and bowel problems and an improvement in their general condition. This positive effect of this treatment has not yet been proven in numerous studies. This is why homeopathy is scientifically highly controversial.

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Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a method of holistic Indian healing. It is a combination of yoga, external treatments (e.g. massages) and an internal therapy consisting of nutrition, spices and medicinal herbs. While both yoga and the external treatments can have a relaxing effect, the internal therapy can pose a serious risk. There are reports of the harmful effects of Ayurvedic herbal medicines, including poisoning from contaminated medicines. You should therefore be particularly vigilant here.

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Acupuncture and acupressure

In acupuncture, needles are placed in specific points on the body. In acupressure, on the other hand, therapists apply pressure to defined body points using their fingers. The aim is to release neurohormones and opioids. In MS, this is intended to slow down or reverse the progression of the disease. Although both methods have become increasingly important in recent years, their effectiveness has not yet been scientifically proven. Nevertheless, a therapy trial can also be useful for you to relieve pain and muscle spasms. Experts also believe that acupuncture can have a positive effect on fatigue in MS.

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Incense (Boswellia)

Frankincense is a medicine used in Indian naturopathy. It is said to have an anti-inflammatory effect due to the boswellic acids it contains. It is said to counteract cognitive impairment, but studies have not been able to prove this either. Be particularly careful with over-the-counter preparations. Frankincense extract can lead to gastrointestinal complaints and allergic reactions.

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Nutrition

It is now generally known that malnutrition or overeating and irregular eating can be harmful to health. Specifically in the case of MS, this can promote an unfavorable course of the disease. Some foods and dietary supplements are being discussed because of their potentially positive effect on MS. Experts suspect that the Asian plants ginseng and gingko have a positive effect on the disease. Linolenic acid, which is mainly found in linseed or rapeseed, or flavonoids, which give various foods their color (e.g. blueberries), are also being discussed in this context. Just like the well-known foods turmeric, cinnamon and cranberries. You can easily integrate some of these foods into your diet without any major financial or health risks. The problem arises with food supplements, some of which are very expensive and advertise enticing effects that have not yet been proven. As a result, there are still many uncertainties and financial risks in this field. If you would like to find out more about nutrition and its effect on MS, take a look at our blog article on Anti-inflammatory nutrition in MS.

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Yoga

Yoga is now more than just a sports trend. Yoga combines meditation and conscious breathing with movement or posture. Studies show that yoga can alleviate fatigue in MS patients. Yoga also improves your mobility, coordination and general well-being. You can find out more about mediation in our blog article.

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Ineffective and dangerous therapies

Having looked at a number of therapies that are constantly being discussed as to whether they could be helpful for MS, we would now like to point out therapies that are definitely ineffective or even harmful.Enzyme combinations are sold as tablets or capsules at high prices. A controlled study has now shown that taking such products does not have a positive effect on MS. One example is the frequently used coenzyme Q10.

The same applies to so-called hyperbaric oxygen therapy (hyperbaric oxygen). It has been suggested that inhaling oxygen under hyperbaric pressure could halt the progression of MS. Numerous studies have been able to disprove this in recent years.Another assumption is that there is a connection between the presence of amalgam dental fillings and MS. Amalgam removal should provide a remedy here. Case-control studies have not been able to prove this connection.The majority of the therapies mentioned so far have no proven effect, yet most of them have no or only minor side effects.

The following therapies, on the other hand, involve serious risks.

• Immunoaugmentation (active substances are intended to strengthen the immune response):
  Risk of infection and allergy, including worsening of MS
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• Pig brain implantation in the abdominal wall:
  Risk of infection and even worsening of MS and deaths
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• Fresh cell therapy (cell sponges from calves and lambs are injected):
  Risk of infection and allergy up to circulatory failure
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• Venom therapy (bee, snake, sea anemone venom):
  Risk of severe allergies and even circulatory failure
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• Intrathecal stem cell therapy (the patient's own stem cells are injected into the spinal canal):
  Severe side effects up to and including death