Treating Multiple Sclerosis with Chinese Medicine

By Catherine Hollingsworth

Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease for which there is no known cure. A person suffering from multiple sclerosis may show demyelination in the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves due to overactive antibodies.

Physical symptoms range from person to person, as does the severity of the disease. According to a paper published by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, “this variability has led some to conclude that MS might be a syndrome or spectrum of different disorders rather than a single disease.” (MSIF, 2009) Naturally, a successful treatment for MS must be highly individualized, with a focus on relief from symptoms and preventing progression of the disease. Unfortunately, biomedical treatments for MS can come with significant side effects, and may not always be effective. Chinese medicine, including both acupuncture and herbs, offers a valuable alternative approach to treating MS. This form of medicine considers patients and diseases as individual cases with potentially varied causes. As anecdotal evidence attests, Chinese medicine is well equipped to address the complex and varied presentations of the disease—without accompanying side effects. [read the full article here]