Alternative medicine

Ambio Life Sciences has launched a clinical program to test ibogaine — an experimental, naturally occurring psychedelic — for neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The program aims to offer therapeutic support in a safe, medically supervised setting. Now open to the public following a soft launch…

A three-month course of acupuncture was associated with gains in certain aspects of cognition for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in a small clinical trial. The traditional Chinese medicine was also linked to less fatigue, improved sleep, and reductions in certain psychological problems such as depression. The findings…

Acupuncture may be a promising complementary approach for easing fatigue and improving quality of life for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a small review study and meta-analysis. Still, the study highlighted a need for future clinical trials that use more standardized acupuncture approaches, according to the researchers,…

Treatment with essential oils derived from green tea or pumpkin reduced brain damage in a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. The oils also helped to restore the abnormal levels of neurotransmitters — chemical messengers that nerve cells use to communicate — and reduce markers…

Nassira and her husband, Dwayne Howse. (Photo courtesy of Nassira Powell) Day 14 of 31 This is Nassira Powell’s story: I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2018. Like many, I knew nothing about the disease and was left with many questions. My first appointment with a…

Treatment with berberine, a compound found in many plants, eased disease severity and showed anti-inflammatory effects in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. “These results confirmed that treatment with berberine efficiently improved the disease in the animal model of MS,” the researchers wrote, noting…

In this installment of our “Expert Voices” series, Multiple Sclerosis News Today asked Dr. Susan Payrovi, MD, to answer some of your questions about seeking functional medicine care with multiple sclerosis (MS). Payrovi is a clinical assistant professor at Stanford’s Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine. She practices…

In this installment of our “Expert Voices” series, Multiple Sclerosis News Today asked Allen C. Bowling, MD, PhD, to answer some of your questions related to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Bowling is an internationally recognized neurologist and integrative medicine pioneer with…

MSAA Opens ‘COVID-19 and MS Pathfinder’ Online Informative Platform Information about MS and COVID-19 is dynamic and regularly changing. This has been particularly true about how to handle disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). The website mentioned in this story tries to keep up with these changes while covering multiple subjects ranging…

Complementary and alternative medicines are increasingly popular among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the northwestern United States, a survey found. More than 80% of the 1,000 people who responded to the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) survey reported using supplements and exercise to help treat their MS, and…

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s question is inspired by the forum post, “Are you using vitamin supplements?” published on October 17, 2019. Share your concerns,…

After I wrote my last column about essential oils to combat the common cold, I knew I was doomed to catch something. And that’s what happened … kinda. A few days ago, I felt what my family calls “a throat thing” coming on, but thankfully, my friend Sandy hooked…

As an MS patient, I’m always on the lookout for something that will help me stay healthy. Though doctors say flu shots are OK for us, they’re not for me. I’ve had better luck with essential oils. Though they can’t replace all medicines, adding them to my…

“Diet is profound. Lifestyle is profound. All patients should be taught how profound these things are.”  — Terry Wahls, MS thriver and founder of the Wahls Protocol  Western medicine has long approached multiple sclerosis (MS) and autoimmune disorders through traditional methods. While there have been…

A clinical trial funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is recruiting adult patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) to test two non-pharmacological strategies to manage MS-related chronic pain. The trial (NCT03782246) will be conducted at the University of Washington, and plans to enroll about 250 participants across…

CannaMD plans two medical marijuana clinics in the Orlando area to evaluate patients for entry in the Florida Medical Marijuana Use Registry. The first clinic opened Jan. 17 in the suburb of Dr. Phillips; the second will open Jan. 25 in the Lake County town of Mt. Dora. CannaMD is a statewide…

Invisible symptoms can create an isolating experience for people with MS. I recently was reminded of the power that lies in finding community and shared experience. Last month’s column discussed the chronic tightness and pain I experience. I then explored whether fascia may play a role in this…

The public’s interest in essential oils (EOs) — their uses, benefits, and safety — has been on the rise for several years. The most common means of using EOs is through aromatherapy, which includes having a diffuser in your home and or carrying a personal diffuser with you. You’ll find…

The Blair Chiropractic Technique may ease multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, studies indicate. The technique involves adjusting the spinal column’s upper cervical vertebrae. These bones can misalign, interfering with the neck-area connection between the brainstem and neural canal. Manipulating this area can alleviate MS symptoms in many patients, chiropractic studies have…

Have you ever used acupuncture?  I have a number of times and would do so more often if it were a medical service covered by my insurance. Unfortunately, for now, most complementary treatments we have available to help with the symptoms of multiple sclerosis are not covered by commercial insurance. In…

When you live with multiple sclerosis you search for ways to manage your disease. You turn to doctors who inevitably prescribe one of the many FDA-approved medications, but sometimes that’s not enough. To complete the picture of seeking better health, you need to also look outside…

Here’s my Pick of the Week’s News as published in Multiple Sclerosis News Today. People with Chronic Diseases Support Obamacare More Than General Public, Survey Finds As everyone must know, throughout the world, politics in the U.S. has become extremely volatile and one of the focuses is…

Paeoniflorin (PF), a herb component used in Chinese medicine, improved symptoms and reduced inflammation in a mouse model that recapitulates the human features of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, “Paeoniflorin Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis via Inhibition of Dendritic Cell Function and Th17 Cell Differentiation”, appeared in the journal…

The jury is still out on the role, if any, that heavy metals play in multiple sclerosis. Many theories have been floating around for years regarding the possible connection between MS and dental amalgams, pesticides, additives to food, lead paint in older homes … and the list goes on. The National…

GeneFo, an MS patient community that provides support, advice, and clinical trial matching, recently co-hosted an online conference with Trent Austin, MD, who reviewed the most updated research and clinical evidence of natural substances – including  medicinal mushrooms, vitamins, biotin and cannabinoids – to inform the public about the potential…

Do you have any strong feelings about worms? No, not earthworms you find in the garden, or even roundworms or tapeworms that can sometimes be found in animals and humans. What I am talking about is purposely being infected with parasitic worms. OK, it may not be as gross as…

A symposium focused on lifestyle factors and unconventional medicine as part of the clinical care provided to patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) took place today at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC). The symposium, “Expanding the MS Toolkit: Integrating Lifestyle Factors and Unconventional Medicine…

The Glatiramer Acetate Clinical Trial to Assess Equivalence With Copaxone  (GATE) seems to be the first phase 3 clinical trial to test a generic disease-modifying medication for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment. The data showed that glatiramer acetate, the generic drug, was equivalent to the trademark drug Copaxone for the…

Unconventional medical approaches and lifestyle changes may help patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) improve their health and well-being, according to Allen Bowling, MD, PhD, an internationally recognized neurologist and specialist in alternative medicine. The physician has designed a seven-step method based on his expertise, which is presented on his…

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are no substitutes for the regular treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), however, they are becoming more common among patients as a way of alleviating the symptoms of the disease. Massage therapy is an example of that. 36-year-old Jessica Rich is a patient who embraced…