Complementary therapy use by persons with multiple sclerosis: benefits and research priorities
Limited EvidenceIn Plain Language
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are commonly actively involved in self-care, with many accessing complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to help in symptom management. To provide increased insight into benefits from CAM use and service user ideas over research priorities, a two-part study, involving a questionnaire and interactive workshop, was undertaken with attendees at a national Congress of the MS Trust in the UK. The six most used therapies were reflexology, massage, yoga, relaxation and meditation, acupuncture and aromatherapy. Each was rated by a quarter to two-fifths as 'extremely helpful'. Insight into the nature of the therapeutic benefit was provided in user comments. Despite the self-selected nature of the sample, the findings point to potential benefits of a set of CAM therapies in helping people with MS. More research on potential benefits of therapies was called for by participants and on the dynamics of the therapeutic effect.
Key Findings: what this qualitative study found
- ✓Reflexology, massage, yoga, relaxation and meditation, acupuncture, and aromatherapy were the six most commonly used complementary therapies among people with multiple sclerosis.
- ✓Between 25-40% of users rated each of the six most common complementary therapies as 'extremely helpful' for managing MS symptoms.
- ✓People with MS reported that complementary and alternative medicine provided self-care benefits, though participants called for additional research to understand the therapeutic mechanisms and potential benefits of these therapies.
What This Means for You
While people with MS report finding reflexology helpful for symptom management, this study shows patient satisfaction rather than scientifically proven effectiveness, so it's best considered as a complementary approach alongside conventional treatment.
What This Means for Practitioners
This research validates client feedback about reflexology's perceived benefits for MS symptom management, but highlights the need for rigorous clinical trials to establish its effectiveness—an opportunity to advocate for or participate in evidence-building research.
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
While people with MS report finding reflexology helpful for symptom management, this study shows patient satisfaction rather than scientifically proven effectiveness, so it's best considered as a complementary approach alongside conventional treatment.
What did this study find?
Reflexology, massage, yoga, relaxation and meditation, acupuncture, and aromatherapy were the six most commonly used complementary therapies among people with multiple sclerosis. Between 25-40% of users rated each of the six most common complementary therapies as 'extremely helpful' for managing MS symptoms. People with MS reported that complementary and alternative medicine provided self-care benefits, though participants called for additional research to understand the therapeutic mechanisms and potential benefits of these therapies.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a qualitative study and we rate its evidence limited. It was published in Complementary therapies in clinical practice, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.
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