MS pain can be excruciating, frequent, inconvenient or heavy unending dullness. There are many traditional treatments that help to alleviate those pains. However, they don't always work and there is always someone who can't or just doesn't want to take too much medication. Some MSers are ready to try anything -- just to make the pain stop.

Today, I am talking about alternative treatments that may be used when addressing pain.

Approximately 50% - 75% of MSers use some form of Complementary and Alternative Medication (CAM), non-traditional interventions intended to reduce pain. There are many alternative treatments targeting MS pain, some even promising a cure. Some of them are recognized and recommended by the medical community, effective in stopping or reducing pain. Others are completely useless and a few possibly even harmful.

Alternatives often lack sufficient documentation and research, and some are not taken seriously enough to justify research costs. Therefore, efficacy of most alternative therapies is largely anecdotal. MSers must be aware of risks and benefits before jumping into these treatments. There is no cure for MS, regardless of claims, but alternative therapies may relieve pains accompanied by MS. Even though a doctor's prescription is usually not required, it is highly recommended that we inform our doctors to guard against a conflict with pharmaceutical drugs or misreading symptoms because the care is not coordinated. Doctors who practice conventional care are embracing legitimate alternative treatments more than ever before.

When considering a therapy, it is important to consult with your neurologist or your pain management doctor. Here are some alternative treatments that address or claim to address MS pain:

Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been tried by 20% of MSers. There is a lot of anecdotal information, but it tells two stories. There are some stories that say acupuncture really helps where pain is concerned. However, there are other accounts of acupuncture actually leading to, and perhaps causing, relapses. The National MS Society recommends caution.

Applied kineseology is a method of assessing the balance of the body and finding and correcting imbalances. This non-invasive holistic technique involves massage, acupressure, and nutrition, among other techniques.

Chiropractic therapy is based on the concept that the nervous system coordinates all of the body's functions. This sounds perfect for MS. The idea of chiropractic therapy is to realign vertebra to eliminate irritation to nerves. There is anecdotal evidence that this therapy helps the lower back, but not necessarily the head and neck. A few years ago, I personally had a masseuse, trained in a chiropractic office, who came to the house on a regular basis. I was quite satisfied with her work.

Cold laser therapy - Cold laser refers to the use of low-intensity or low levels of laser light. It is intended to stimulate cells so they can actively respond to stress and pain; however, it also inhibits some cell activity. Although there has been some reported success with cold laser therapy in chronic pain, there are still questions about nerve regeneration. The FDA has approved 25 cold laser devices or methods in the US. Research and evaluation of this therapy continues.