Traditional Chinese Medicine Complements Western Treatments for MS with Acupuncture

The cloud of ambiguity surrounding multiple sclerosis (MS) keeps experts in the medical world constantly searching for new treatments. We know that it is an autoimmune disease that harms the central nervous system, and is sometimes caused by viruses or environmental toxins. When MS attacks it interrupts the pathway which messages use to travel from the brain to the body.

Symptoms can range from a tingling feeling or numbness in the extremities followed by dizziness or muscle weakness.

Symptoms strongly related to MS have been found in ancient texts of traditional Chinese medicine that date back as far as 2,000 years ago. Acupuncture is one popular method for relieving painful MS ailments. Studies have indicated that acupuncture is an effective management method for MS, specifically when used as a complementary medicine treatment with other modalities.

Use of acupuncture and herbal remedies can diminish the side effects commonly experienced with traditional Western prescription medicines. In addition to lessening the effects of numbness and tingling, acupuncture when used as a complementary medicine can also treat MS symptoms related to fatigue, bowel and bladder functions, anxiety, and depression.

The Washington Acupuncture Center studied 10,000 patients for three years and showed that those who used acupuncture treatments in conjunction with traditional medicine improved by 85 percent.