Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Multiple Sclerosis by Allen C. Bowling is a well-researched book that discusses complementary and alternative medicines and various therapies, including yoga, tai chi, dietary supplements, and vitamins. This book alerts MS patients and their families to new options for relief when conventional therapies are limited. It directs them to low-risk, effective, and inexpensive therapies and helps them recognize the dangerous, ineffective, and costly.

This comprehensive book’s first edition quickly became the definitive source for accurate, unbiased information on alternative therapy approaches for the management of MS symptoms. This second edition has been completely updated to reflect advances in the field since the initial publication in 2001. It contains brief descriptions of each therapy, treatment methods, scientific research, known side effects, lists of practical information, a conclusion and additional reading sources. Alternative medicines are organized alphabetically so that readers can easily pinpoint a specific treatment and learn about its origins, merits, and possible uses. It gives both sides of the argument for all treatments, complete with references to the appropriate scientific studies. Among the many topics discussed in-depth are Naltrexone, acupuncture, biofeedback, chiropractic medicine, cooling therapy, yoga, diets, vitamins and minerals, herbs, and the use of supplements. It recommends what amounts of vitamins and other supplements readers should take. It even notes what therapies, while not proven to treat MS, may help anyway due to the “placebo effect.”

Complementary and Alternative Medicine offers objective, documented information and sound advice about what might help or hurt the body. It provides a weapon against the many unscrupulous or questionable therapies out there and serves as a useful remedy for the Internet’s information overload. Great for anyone with MS, or even anyone who is only interested in alternative medicines.


Publisher: Demos Health
Publish date: November 13, 2006
275 pages
ISBN-10: 1932603549
ISBN-13: 978-1932603545