Why You Should Not Try Acupuncture With Ms

The ancient practice of acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years with much success. Today, it is enjoying resurgence in popularity for a variety of conditions. However, would it be beneficial to try and alleviate the symptoms of MS with this method? There are several concerns about this medical practice in terms of the disease and experts feel that it is possible that it could actually make matters works in terms of this autoimmune disease that strikes the nerves.

Accolades for Acupuncture

Acupuncture works by placing needles on certain energy trigger points throughout the body which helps to unblock the body’s energy. This ancient Chinese practice does not recognize the theory of a nervous system but rather pathways of energy that runs through the body. Researchers who have studied acupuncture believe that the energy released from the various placements of the needles believe that it stimulates the immune system.

Indeed, acupuncture has been successful in treating addicting behaviors like overeating and smoking. Also, it helps relieve pain from surgery or a chronic condition. It is the perceived relationship between the needle placement and the stimulation of the immune system that has doctors worried about how MS patients would fair with acupuncture.

The Acupuncture-MS Relationship

Many doctors and researchers believe that multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease which means that the body’s own immune system is attacking healthy tissue like the myelin that protects the nerves. So what might happen when acupuncture stimulates the immune system of someone with MS?

This stimulation of the immune system is what has many people worried about the overall outcome for the MS sufferer. Will it actually give the immune system a kick in the pants and stop destroying healthy cells? Or, will acupuncture actually make matters worse and stimulate the immune system to cause further damage to healthy cells, at perhaps a greater speed.

The Bottom Line for Acupuncture

Doctors who treat MS patients are quick to advocate alternative treatment that could help alleviate the pain of the disease as long as they are confident that there would be no repercussions. However, while many doctors believe that acupuncture is a valuable tool in many other health conditions, they will not definitively advocate its use in multiple sclerosis. There have been no tests done and no treatment history exists for MS patients who have tried acupuncture. Therefore, it is best not to try this alternative ancient practice for MS symptoms.

Some people may feel that they have nothing to lose and will likely try acupuncture anyway. One can only hope that it is successful and that they report their experiences and how the practice affected their MS symptoms. In the meantime, there are plenty of other alternative therapies to try that have been proven safe and beneficial for MS patients. With so many unknowns about acupuncture and its potential benefits or repercussions in regards to MS, it’s better to take a wait and see approach. After all, what could work for one patient may not work for another. There is no definitive way to get an objective result.

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