Rationale for Correct Answer
The correct answer is: Acupuncture
Several small-scale, sham-controlled clinical trials have found significant benefits of acupuncture for patients with MS, relative to controls. Benefits include improved EDSS scores, time to relapse, annual relapse rate, pain, depression, walking speed, and quality of life.1 Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) and massage are 2 other complementary medical approaches with significant benefits, relative to controls. MBI is associated with improved anxiety, depression, stress, fatigue, cognitive processing speed, working memory, and pain relief.2-5 Massage is associated with improved pain relief, spasticity, depression, and anxiety.6 A variety of massage techniques have been studied, such as Swedish massage and reflexology,6 but rolfing has not. The complementary therapies of cupping and therapeutic touch have also not been studied in the MS population.
References:
1. Khodaie F et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2022;60:103715.
2. Simpson R et al. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2019;90:1051-1058.
3. Simpson R et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2020;38:101493.
4. Manglani HR et al. Neuropsychology. 2020;34:591-604.
5. Hadoush H et al. NeuroRehabilitation. 2022;50:347-365.
6. Heidari Z et al. Disabil Rehabil. 2022;44:5758-5769.