Key takeaways

  • Reflexology therapy may improve pain, fatigue, and quality of life in people with MS.
  • Massage therapy may prevent or relieve pain, spasticity, circulation issues, and pressure sores; it may also be effective for fatigue and pain relief in people with MS.
  • Acupuncture may help relieve MS symptoms such as pain, spasticity, numbness, tingling, bladder problems, and depression, while also potentially improving fatigue and gait problems.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition in which your immune system attacks the myelin sheath, the protective layer around nerve fibers, in your central nervous system (CNS).

Your CNS consists of your brain and spinal cord. Damage to the myelin sheath prevents adequate nerve communication throughout the CNS. MS demyelination causes substantial problems within the brain, such as cognitive difficulties, fatigue, and vision changes. MS also affects pathways in the brain and spinal cord.

MS can cause a range of symptoms, including:

  • bladder and bowel problems
  • cognitive issues, such as trouble with thinking and memory
  • dizziness
  • fatigue
  • mood changes
  • numbness and tingling
  • pain
  • sexual dysfunction
  • spasticity
  • vision problems
  • difficulty walking
  • weakness

There’s currently no cure for MS, but treatments such as disease-modifying therapies may help reduce the frequency and severity of MS relapses and slow the progression of the disease.

While nutritional, psychological, and physical approaches to health that can be used along with conventional MS treatments to help you manage your symptoms, alternative and complementary therapies may also play a role in your MS treatment plan.

Read on to learn more about some of the more common alternative physical interventions.