Clinical Roundup: Selected Treatment Options for Multiple Sclerosis—Part 2

Abstract

Alternative and Complementary TherapiesVol. 25, No. 5 Free AccessClinical Roundup: Selected Treatment Options for Multiple Sclerosis—Part 2Published Online:8 Oct 2019https://doi.org/10.1089/act.2019.29236.cruAboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail Massage TherapyResearch reveals that many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) turn to massage therapy for symptom relief. In fact, massage therapy is among the most common complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies that people with MS utilize.1 Fatigue, pain, spasticity, and impaired gait, balance, and motor function are among the symptoms that patients are seeking to relieve when turning to CAM therapies such as massage.In a randomized controlled trial, Negahban and colleagues2 explored the effects of massage therapy on people with a variety of MS symptoms. In this study, a small group of people with MS were randomly assigned to massage only, exercise only, a combination of massage and exercise therapy, or a control group (standard care). Participants in the therapeutic interventions groups received fifteen 30-minute sessions over the course of 5 weeks. Results showed that participants in the massage therapy and exercise therapy groups experienced decreased fatigue and spasticity and also improved balance, walking endurance, and quality of life (QOL). Compared with the exercise alone group, participants in the massage therapy alone group and massage–exercise group experienced greater improvement in pain reduction. All intervention groups showed improvements over the control group.Another small study by Backus and colleagues3 found that people with MS who received a one-hour once weekly massage therapy session for six weeks experienced improvements in fatigue, pain, health perception, and QOL compared with before the intervention. The study authors commented: “These findings are meaningful given the prevalence of fatigue and pain in people with MS, and the extent to which these symptoms impact an individual's perception of health and quality of life.”3There is limited research on the effects of massage therapy on symptoms in people with MS, and further research is needed. However, findings such as those presented here suggest that massage therapy may be a beneficial CAM option, which is helpful in light of the fact that many people with MS already seek out massage therapy. Importantly, studies such as those mentioned help clinicians target their CAM therapy recommendations for specific symptoms in a unique population of patients such as people with MS.