Alternative therapies for MS

Complementary and alternative therapies are usually therapies considered 'not mainstream medicine'. They’re also known as complementary and alternative medicines or CAMs.

Complementary therapies can be part of an 'holistic' approach to health. Holistic care looks at the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of a person as a whole, not just the illness.

So complementary therapies can work alongside treatments like disease modifying therapies, physiotherapy or drugs for particular symptoms.

Why use complementary therapies for MS?

Lots of people with MS use complementary therapies to help manage their condition and to take back a sense of control. They might help with things that conventional treatments on their own don’t address. Finding ways to manage your own experience of MS can be a psychological boost.

What are complementary and alternative therapies for MS?

There’s a huge range of complementary and alternative therapies offered to people with MS. Some are well established like Pilates or mindfulness. Others are more unusual or unproven, like honey bee venom.

Complementary and alternative therapies might include:

‘Natural’ medicines for MS?

Sometimes complementary and alternative medicines are described as 'natural' medicine. The word 'natural' can be misleading, because lots of complementary medicines are processed and are as 'unnatural' as other drugs. And about a quarter of medicines produced by the medical drug industry are derived in some way from natural products such as herbs.

Which complementary therapies work for MS?

There isn’t a complementary therapy that works for everyone with MS, but lots of people find something that helps them. The research evidence for different therapies varies. Lots of complementary therapies don’t have research evidence to prove how safe or effective they are.

The lack of evidence is partly because these therapies often don’t suit traditional research techniques. Lots of studies only include a few people, or don’t show clear benefits.

Weighing things up

Lots of people who use complementary therapies say that they make them feel better, so it’s often a case of weighing up things like:

cost – bearing in mind how you’ll feel if the therapy is very expensive and doesn’t make a difference
how well does it work?
is it likely to make you feel better?
safety – could it make your MS worse or interact with other medications?

Of course, it’s up to you to manage your MS how you want to. But it’s always worth bearing in mind how costly, how safe and how effective things are.

Cost

Watch out for products that make big promises, cost a lot, say they are scientifically proven or can 'cure MS'. Paying for these treatments or therapies could be a waste of money and leave you disappointed, or perhaps even make things worse.

To plan your finances, ask in advance how much each session or treatment will cost and how often you'll need to have it.

How well does it work?

There probably won’t be clear cut evidence available about the treatment, but there might be other things to think about.

For example, maybe a complementary treatment:

makes you feel more in control of your MS
makes the effects of MS seem less
makes you feel better overall – adding to your sense of wellbeing, reducing stress and helping you relax

These things are important, particularly if other treatments aren’t available or don’t seem to be working.

Think about what matters most to you in a therapy. Maybe it's symptom relief, emotional or psychological change, or finding a social space for yourself? Knowing what's important to you can help you decide what might work, what's value for money, and what makes a difference.

Is the information reliable?

There’s loads of information online, but it’s not always accurate. Anyone can publish a website, without needing to supply names, qualifications or sources, let alone whether the information is based on scientific research.

Just because someone says something is effective doesn't mean it is. And even if it worked for them, that doesn’t prove it’s safe or effective for other people.

Anecdotal evidence (what other people say) is based on their own experience. If you only know them online, it’s hard to be sure they’re reliable or impartial.

Find out why good research is important

Safety

Your GP or MS team can advise you of any risks. And you might want to check how a particular therapy is regulated. Most people who provide complementary therapies are not regulated. Osteopathy and chiropractic both are regulated, and have strong regulatory bodies.

With other therapies, they have professional bodies that people who provide therapies can join. It’s worth checking these to see someone’s qualifications.

Getting complementary treatments

The person who provides the complementary or alternative medicine is called the practitioner. For example, an acupuncturist, chiropractor, homeopath, massage therapist or osteopath.

Finding a practitioner

Some people find a practitioner through their doctor, MS nurse, Neuro Therapy Network centre or another member of their health care team. Other people contact them directly. Either way, it’s important to do your research before making a commitment.

Check the practitioner is:

properly trained
has qualifications
is a member of a regulatory or professional organisation

First appointment for a complementary therapy

Before any treatment begins, make sure the practitioner knows you have MS. Also tell them about any other medical conditions you have, and any medications you take.

At the appointment, the practitioner should take a full history of your condition and explain what the process will involve. They should welcome any questions you have and keep you well informed throughout the treatment.

The practitioner should tell you to see your doctor if they realise you might have something serious that your doctor doesn’t know about. Or if they identify any further health conditions that you or your doctor are not aware of. They should also tell you if they can't help. If possible, they should suggest you see someone else.

With any practitioner, trust builds up over time. But you should make sure you feel comfortable with them, and remember that if you don't you can always leave a consultation or choose not to have a particular part of a treatment.

Paying for complementary treatments

You might need to pay something towards complementary therapies through the NHS.

Almost half of GP practices in England now provide access to some sorts of complementary and alternative medicines for NHS patients.

When provided on the NHS, it might be at no extra cost or you might be asked to pay something.

Complementary and alternative medicines are also often provided by hospices, palliative care services, and in some hospitals and pain clinics.

Alternatively, some local Healthy Living Centres and MS therapy centres may be able to offer complementary and alternative medicine at subsidised prices.

If you're arranging things privately, charges can vary a lot. Remember to ask about all the costs before making a commitment.

Take care if a practitioner pushes you to book many sessions and pay for them in advance, or to 'bulk buy' any products. Also if a therapy seems to be excessively expensive, it’s a good idea to check what the typical costs are for that treatment with one of the regulatory bodies.

Private health insurance

Some private health insurance schemes and medical cash plans will cover the costs of certain complementary medicines.

If things go wrong

There are various reasons why you may not be happy with complementary and alternative therapies. You might not like the treatment or the way it makes you feel, or you might think it’s not helping you.

As with conventional medicine, a good professional relationship with your practitioner will help you get the best out of a treatment.

It’s worth trying to explain to your practitioner what the problem is. If there’s an issue with the treatment, maybe it can be adapted to suit you better. Or maybe this particular treatment is not the one for you. Practitioners should not have a problem with you raising issues or stopping.

How to complain if you need to

If you feel you can't sort out the problem by talking to your practitioner, or you’re not satisfied with a treatment, you might want to complain.

If you accessed the therapist through the NHS, you can use the NHS complaints procedure.

If you found the practitioner independently, you should contact their professional body, if they are a member. You could also contact the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council with your concerns about the therapist.

Read our articles from Dr Agne Straukiene for more about complementary and alternative therapies

Download more information on complementary therapies

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