The original safety and effectiveness statements below have not been verified for current use. Preserving them does not endorse the treatment or those claims.
Acupuncture is a contraversial and alternative treatment for some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, especially pain. It is usually viewed with considerable scepticism by the medical profession but some qualified doctors do recomend it. Acuputure involves sticking needles into certain key points in the body.
There is some evidence that acupucture causes the release of peptides in the central nervous system (CNS) which modulates sensory information travelling from the body to the brain. It is also well-documented that TENS machines (devices that release small amounts of electric current on the surface of the skin) seem to provide effective pain relief.
A lot of anecdotal evidence exists both for and against acupuncture and what is needed are some reliable studies. Whether or not it works, acupuncture is a harmless treatment.
The multiple sclerosis symptom that acupuncture is reported to work best for is the pain associated with facial neuralgias (especially trigeminal neuralgia). But claims have also been made for it's palliative effects with numbness and neck pain.
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Author: Paul Jones
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