Lifestyle and Alternative Medicine

Authors: Nathaniel C. Bowling, MD, and Allen C. Bowling, MD, PhD
Complementary and Alternative Medicine information and services offered by Dr. Allen Bowling

DISCLAIMER: Multiple Sclerosis is a serious medical condition. Multiple Sclerosis should not be diagnosed or treated on one's own. The information on this site is for informational purposes only. This information should not be viewed as a substitute for visiting your health care provider or for using conventional medications. Before considering lifestyle or unconventional therapies, one should read about Precautions. It is highly recommended that you contact your health professional before using any of these therapies.


Select the Lifestyle or Alternative Medicine:

Cranberry and Other Herbal Therapies for Urinary Tract Infections

Some people with MS are prone urinary tract infections (UTIs). As such, cranberry juice, a common remedy for UTIs, is of possible interest to those with MS. Cranberry juice has long been used for both treating and preventing UTIs. Until the 1970s, it was believed that cranberry juice increased the acidity of urine, which was […]

Craniosacral Therapy

At the turn of the 20th century, a modified version of osteopathic and chiropractic medicine was developed. This type of treatment, called craniosacral therapy, craniopathy, or cranial osteopathy, involves bone manipulation similar to both chiropractic and osteopathic medicine. In the 1970s, Dr. John Upledger developed a newer version of craniosacral therapy, which he still teaches […]

Creatine

Creatine is most often used as a supplement to increase strength and body mass. Some data suggest it may also help protect nerve cells. Creatine is a potentially useful compound in the treatment of MS, as nerve damage and weakness are seen in this disease. Within the human body, creatine is produced by the pancreas, […]

Dental Amalgam Removal

Dental amalgam has been used for over 150 years to fill cavities and restore teeth. It is composed of mercury, silver, tin, zinc, and copper. The removal of dental amalgam as treatment is based on the idea that mercury from amalgam is slowly released and causes or exacerbates MS. It is claimed that very small […]

Diets and Fatty-Acid Supplements

For over fifty years, people have suggested a role for diet in the treatment of MS. Many health care professionals are not knowledgeable in this area and diet advocates may exaggerate their claims. This has created a field that has long been clouded with confusion and surrounded by controversy. The Importance of A Well Balanced […]

Echinacea

Echinacea has a long history of treating medical conditions. It is a very popular and well-researched herb. Echinacea was used by North American Indians and, in the early 1900s, was the primary herbal treatment for infection. Despite the potential risk echinacea poses for those with MS, some popular books on alternative medicine specifically recommend echinacea […]

Enzyme Therapy

Enzymes are a type of protein that carries out specific chemical reactions. Enzyme treatment has been proposed as a beneficial therapy for many diseases, including MS. Multiple incarnations of enzyme therapy have been tried over the course of its lengthy history. In Central and South America, people traditionally use tropical fruits and leaves for treating […]

Exercise

Exercise is not always considered a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Sometimes it is classified as conventional medicine or merely as part of one’s lifestyle. Although it is not always discussed during a conventional medical visit, exercise has significant implications for the health of people with MS. Previously, exercise was not recommended for […]

Feldenkrais

Feldenkrais is a type of bodywork developed by a Russian-born physicist named Moshé Feldenkrais. It focuses on comfortable and efficient body movements. It is claimed to relieve pain, decrease stress, and improve balance and coordination. Treatment Approach Feldenkrais is learned initially through Awareness Through Movement (ATM) lessons. These lessons focus attention on the movement of certain […]

Fish Oil

Studies In 1989, a large-scale study of omega-three fatty acid supplementation with fish oil in MS was completed. The results of the study showed a trend towards improvement in the treatment group, but this trend was not statistically significant. Another, smaller study combined supplements with glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) or interferons (Rebif, Betaseron, Avonex). Conventional MS […]

Page 3 of 712345...Last »