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Find a Natural Cure

Multiple Sclerosis

Overview

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is an autoimmune disease that progressively impairs the central nervous system. The body`s immune system attacks the protective insulation of nerve fibers, known as myelin, causing a buildup of plaques and the eventual scarring and hardening of multiple nerve fibers. This process is known as sclerosis, hence the name of the disease. Once nerve pathways become damaged, nerve impulses direct muscle movement to slow down or to stop altogether.

MS usually strikes between the ages of 15 to 60, with most cases occurring between 20 and 40 years of age. It affects women twice as often as men, and is most prevalent in the northern United States, Canada, and upper Europe, where the climate tends to be temperate. Overall, an estimated 350,000 Americans suffer from MS, which is considered to be incurable by conventional physicians, who also have little understanding about its causes. 

Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis 

As the buildup of plaque scars or strips the myelin sheath away from nerve fibers, nerve transmission becomes impaired, and the symptoms of MS begin to appear. They include loss of muscle control, problems with balance and gait, blurry or double vision, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, heightened sensitivity to heat and cold (especially heat, which can worsen other symptoms), and painful tingling sensations in the hands and/or feet. In advanced cases, patients can experience difficulty speaking, spastic movements, and weakness in the arms, hands, legs, and/or feet. Full or partial paralysis can also occur, and severe fatigue can make normal activities extremely difficult to carry out. Urinary incontinence or a frequent need to urinate can develop. In some cases, MS patients need to use a wheelchair; although in many cases, patients are able to continue living and working as before, but with increasing degrees of difficulty. A rarer symptom of MS is alexia, a sudden inability to understand written language. 

MS tends to go into remission and then flare up again, intensifying and worsening with each episode. In some cases the progression of MS is swift, leading to serious degeneration within a few months or years, whereas others may experience less severe attacks that can occur on and off over many decades. No two cases of MS are exactly alike, making effective treatment extremely difficult. For this reason, it is essential that proper individualized treatment begin as early as possible following the initial appearance of MS symptoms.

Causes of Multiple Sclerosis

Although conventional medicine claims that multiple sclerosis is caused by demyelination (the breakdown of the myelin sheath caused by the buildup of plaques), holistic health practitioners maintain that there are many other potential causes, as well. This view is strengthened by the fact that major symptoms of MS can be present even when there is little myelin damage; and, in some cases, major dymelination only produces minor symptoms. What follows is an overview of the other most common potential causes of MS.

Candidiasis: Candidiasis, also known as candida, is caused by systemic overgrowth of a type of yeast, Candidiasis albicans, beyond its normal location in the lower intestinal tract. Left unchecked, candidiasis can greatly exacerbate MS symptoms, as was first documented by William G. Crook, M.D., author of The Yeast Connection. According to Dr. Crook, cases of MS in which candidiasis is a factor can be greatly improved once the spread of Candida albicans is halted and then reversed.

Dental Amalgam Fillings: Dental amalgam fillings contain mercury, a highly toxic substance that can be leeched out from fillings in the form of mercury vapors that settle in the body`s tissues and organs. Over time, as mercury continues to accumulate in the body, a host of serious health problems can occur, including MS or symptoms that are virtually indistinguishable from it. People with MS have been shown to have mercury levels in their cerebrospinal fluid that are much as 700 percent greater than healthy people. 

The health problems mercury causes are due to its ability to attach itself to the DNA in the body`s cells and cell membranes, distorting them and impairing their ability to properly function. As this cellular distortion occurs, the body`s immune system acts as if the affected cells are foreign invaders and begins attacking them. In the process, myelin can be destroyed. In addition, the mercury vapors can interfere with the body`s enzyme functions and cause the chronic fatigue that is often a symptom of MS. According to Hal Huggins, DDS, a leader in the field of biological (holistic) dentistry, and a renowned expert in mercury toxicity, many cases of MS have been completely reversed once mercury amalgams are properly replaced and the body is detoxified.

Poor Diet: Since 1950, when Roy Swank, MD, of Oregon Health Sciences University, first discovered that MS patients had higher than normal concentrations of saturated fat intake from the foods they ate, holistic health practitioners have pointed to poor diet as a major potential contributing factor for multiple sclerosis. This is particularly so among people who eat a standard Western diet high in dairy products, meats, and commercially processed foods that contain high amounts of unhealthy, saturated fats, but are low in unsaturated fats containing essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs are vital for the optimum health of both the brain and the nervous system, and are found in fresh fruits and vegetables, oily fish, and olive and seed oils, all of which are often lacking in the diets of MS patients. The lack of such foods and the EFAs they contain can set the stage for demyelination.

Electromagnetic Fields: Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are generated when electric currents flow through wire coils. This type of low-level radiation can cause a variety of health problems because of how EMFs can negatively impact the body`s bioenergetic balance and damage enzymes that regulate growth. EMFs can also negatively affect the body`s pineal gland, as well as upset the balance and production of the hormones melatonin and serotonin, both of which are essential for optimum brain and nerve function. Research has shown that MS patients usually exhibit lower than normal levels of both these hormones, as well as calcification of the pineal gland. In addition, EMFs can interfere with the how the body`s cells divide and multiply. 

You are exposed to EMFs every time you use an appliance that runs on electricity. These include computers, fluorescent lights, microwave ovens, televisions, and video terminals. Cell phones, electrical poles, and many types of motors that can also create unhealthy EMF exposure.

Environmental Toxins: Environmental toxins can cause or exacerbate MS in a variety of ways, including impairing and interrupting the body's metabolic processes. In addition, environmental toxins can act directly to damage the myelin covering that protects nerve fibers. They can also distort cells and cell membranes, triggering an autoimmune response that can cause nerve damage and MS symptoms. Among the offending toxins are chemicals found in commercially processed foods, toxins contained in tap water, carbon monoxide, diesel exhaust, fumes and vapors released from gas water heaters, commercial solvents, aerosol sprays, and chemicals contained in the chipboard and foam used to make furniture and carpets.

Food Allergies and Sensitivities: People with multiple sclerosis often suffer from food allergies or sensitivities, which can greatly exacerbate their MS symptoms. The most common foods that trigger food allergies and sensitivities include coffee and caffeine products, corn, dairy products, food additives and preservatives, fungi such as mushrooms, gluten (a food ingredient in barley, oats, rye, spelt, and wheat), ketchup, milk, sugar, vinegar, wheat, and wine. However, any food can potentially act as an allergy trigger.

Genetic Predisposition: MS is not considered a hereditary disease. Even so, the disease does appear to be related to genetic predisposition. First generation descendents or relatives of people with MS have a 30 to 50 greater risk of developing the disease than people born into families where there is no history of multiple sclerosis. If your relatives have MS, you should be screened as early as possible.

Infections: Infection can greatly exacerbate MS symptoms, and may also play a role in causing it. Researchers, for example, have found that viral infections such as the Epstein Barr Virus, not only reduce the level of essential fatty acids in the brain to levels commonly found in MS patients, but infections can also interfere with the body`s ability to properly utilize essential fatty acids, weakening the immune system and possibly triggering autoimmune reactions that can result in demyelination. Based on such findings, holistic health practitioners warn that people who suffered from viral infections, especially Epstein Barr Virus or mononucleosis (which can be trigged by Epstein Barr) in childhood or adolescence, may be more susceptible to developing MS later on in life.

Other infectious agents known as stealth pathogens may also play a role in the development of MS, as well as exacerbate its symptoms. Stealth pathogens are types of bacteria with cell walls that lack proper structure, giving them the ability to easily transport DNA between the cells of the human body. Stealth pathogens can also fuse together. Both of these outcomes can trigger immune responses that can cause a variety of autoimmune diseases, including MS.

Another type of bacteria that can cause or contribute to MS is Borrelia mylophora. If this bacteria gains a foothold in the body, it can infiltrate the nervous system. In white blood cells` fervent effort to eliminate Borrelia mylophora, the immune system can also destroy surrounding myelin, causing MS. Borrelia mylophora is very similar to Borrelia burgdorferi, one of the causes of Lyme disease, and some researchers speculate that Lyme disease itself is also a cause of MS because of its similar affects on the body`s immune and nervous systems. For more information about the link between MS and Lyme disease, see Could Lyme Disease Become MS? and Researcher Reveals Possible Connection with Lyme and MS.

"Leaky Gut" Syndrome: "leaky gut" syndrome is caused by food allergies and/or candidiasis causing a breach in the intestinal wall, allowing toxins to flood into the bloodstream. As this happens, the immune system attempts to correct the problem by launching an attack on these invaders. In the commotion, however, immune cells and antibodies may also attack healthy cells, including those that comprise myelin. The stress placed on the body by "leaky gut" syndrome can exacerbate the symptoms of people who already have MS, and also make people with MS more susceptible to additional pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and unhealthy yeasts.

Nutritional Deficiencies: Even when MS patients follow a healthy, balanced diet, they can often be deficient in vital nutrients because they have difficulty assimilating them. The most common nutrient deficiencies in MS patients are vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, biotin, folic acid, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and zinc, along with various amino acids and essential fatty acids.

According to the late Hans Neiper, MS, a pioneering researcher and holistic physician in Germany, lack of calcium AEP, also known as colamine phosphate, can significantly increase the risk of MS. Calcium AEP is required for the body to produce the electrical charges on the myelin surface and on nerve cell membranes that are necessary for proper function of the central nervous system. Lack of calcium AEP not only interferes with the production of these electrical charges, Dr. Nieper maintained, but it also causes cells membranes to become too porous, allowing toxins and immune cells passage into the body`s nerve cells, creating an autoimmune reaction and the destruction of myelin.

Stress and Trauma: Many cases of MS are often initially triggered by prolonged emotional stress or physical trauma. Moreover, the initial symptoms of MS will often first manifest at the part of the body that suffered an injury.

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Natural Cures

While conventional physicians consider multiple sclerosis to be incurable, holistic physicians are often able to slow and reverse its progression. Early diagnosis, followed immediately by a comprehensive treatment program addressing all of the factors that can cause MS, provides the best hope for a successful outcome—the end result is often a complete cure. As patients follow their prescribed treatment protocols and make necessary changes to their diet and lifestyle, at the very least, noticeable improvements are achieved, enabling them to have much greater control over their symptoms.

MS affects each person differently and requires an individualized treatment program in order to be properly dealt with. For this reason, holistic practitioners recommend that in-depth testing be conducted to fully determine the factors involved in each patient`s condition. Testing can include a mineral sweat test to evaluate each patient`s overall mineral status as well as possible heavy mineral poisoning. This test is simple to perform and involves the application of a specific type of plaque on the patient`s back. The patient is then engaged in physical activity that causes him or her to moderately perspire for an hour. Perspiration is collected in the plaque and then analyzed. 

Other recommended tests include nutrient and antioxidant assessment, adrenal stress test, complete blood count testing, a biochemistry panel, glucose tolerance testing, and stool analysis to determine the health of the patient`s digestive system and ability to assimilate nutrients.

Screening for food and environmental allergies is also important.

Once the underlying causative factors are assessed, a proper treatment program can be created. Typically, it will include the following therapeutic approaches:

Aromatherapy: Adding juniper or rosemary essential oils to extra virgin olive oil (5 percent essential oil to 95 percent olive oil) and then massaging your body with this blend can help ease MS symptoms.

Ayurvedic Medicine: The Ayurvedic herb ashwaghanda can often be helpful in alleviating symptoms of MS because of its adaptogenic properties that help to restore balance to various body systems, including the immune and nervous systems.

Bee Venom Therapy: Bee venom therapy, also known as apitherapy, involves the injection of honeybee venom by hypodermic needle, or by applied bee stings. In the latter case, trained physicians hold honeybees with tweezers, placing them over patients` bodies, where the bees then sting them. The bee stings can last for only a few seconds or for as much as five minutes, depending on the dosage of bee venom that is determined to be necessary.

Over 1,500 scientific papers on bee venom therapy have been published in Europe and Asia attesting to the healing benefits of bee stings. According to the practitioners of the therapy, bee venom therapy can begin to ease MS symptoms after as little as 20 to 40 bee stings, with most patients achieving significant reversals of their symptoms, including complete remission, within six to 18 months. The therapy works by first stimulating the immune system, both at the site of the bee sting, and systemically throughout the body. Then, as the venom enters the body, it produces anti-inflammatory effects that are 100 times greater than cortisone shots. Bee venom also acts as a potent antioxidant.

Caution: Approximately 2 percent of the population is allergic to bee venom. If you fall into this category, you should avoid bee venom therapy because of the risk of severe allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock.

Biological Dentistry: If you suffer from MS due to dental amalgam fillings, you should consider having them removed and replaced with biologically compatible fillings. According to Dr. Hal Huggins, individuals should undergo a serum biocompatibility blood test to determine what materials are biologically compatible with their body. He cautions that some replacement filling materials can over-stimulate or depress immune function, and that others contain aluminum, another toxic metal that should be avoided. 

For best results, amalgam removal and replacement should be individualized based on each person`s unique biochemistry. Then, once the fillings have been removed and replaced, treatment should be followed by a detoxification program to help rid the body of stored mercury in tissues and organs. Dr. Huggins recommends that nutritional support, along with acupressure and massage therapy, be part of such a detoxification program, depending on each patient`s specific needs. Following detoxification, specific individualized, dietary guidelines and nutritional supplements are used to further enhance recovery.

Dr. Huggins has treated hundreds of MS patients using the above protocol, and achieved significant benefit in 85 percent of his cases, including wheelchair-bound MS patients recovering their ability to walk.

Detoxification Therapies: Detoxifying the body of toxins and improving the health and function of the lymphatic system can significantly reduce MS symptoms. Useful detoxification strategies include colonics, dry skin brushing, enemas, far-infrared and steam saunas (under your physician`s supervision), fasting, herbal wraps, lymphatic massage, and light beam therapy. For more information on detoxification, see Cleansing and Detoxification.

Diet: MS patients should emphasize an organic, whole foods diet that is low on saturated fats and includes plenty of fresh organic fruits and vegetables. According to Dr. Swank, who has been exploring the link between diet and MS for more than 50 years, saturated fat intake should be limited to not more than 15 grams each day, which is the equivalent of three teaspoons per day. Ideally, all sources of saturated fats, such as dairy products, meats, and commercially processed and packaged foods, should be avoided. Instead, emphasis should be on foods high in essential fatty acids and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are contained in fresh fruits and vegetables; oily fish, such as bluefish, bass, salmon, sardines, and trout; and olive, flaxseed, safflower, and sunflower oils. For additional benefit, Dr. Swank recommends supplementing with between four to ten teaspoons of unsaturated oils each day.

Other foods to include in your daily meals are mung beans and mung bean sprouts, millet, free-range poultry, and organic nuts and seeds, while avoiding alcohol, chocolate, dairy products, eggs, commercially prepared and fast foods, fermented foods, hydrogenated oils and solid fats, margarine, milk, red meats, salt, shellfish, sugar, and yeast, as well as hydrolyzed vegetable proteins and food additives and preservatives. 

Energy Medicine: One of the most effective ways to screen for all of the underlying causes of MS is a technique known as electrodermal screening, or EDS. Electrodermal screening is a noninvasive diagnostic technique that measures the electrical output of specific points on the hands, face, or feet that correlate to acupuncture meridian points at the beginning or end of energy meridians. The electrical signals given off at these points provide information about the health status of the body`s organs and organ systems, and can also be used to detect the presence of toxins, energy and hormonal imbalances, and harmful microorganisms. In the hands of a highly skilled practitioner, EDS can often detect hidden contributing factors for MS, even when other sophisticated testing methods fail to do so because of the fact that both health and disease are first and foremost the results of balanced or imbalanced energy.

Energy medicine can also be used to protect MS patients from harmful EMFs. One of the most useful devices for doing so is a Teslar watch, named after the brilliant inventor Nikola Tesla, which protects against harmful EMF frequencies while producing a healthy EMF signal similar to the earth`s resonance of 7-9 Hz to enable the body to operate within its own natural frequency range.

Environmental Medicine: Practitioners of environmental medicine test MS patients for dietary and environmental allergies—such as chemicals, dust, heavy metals, mold, and pollen—that can contribute to and exacerbate MS symptoms. Food allergies are determined via blood testing, elimination diets, and electrodermal screening (see Energy Medicine above). To conduct an elimination diet, remove suspected offending foods from your diet and see if your symptoms are reduced within a few days. If so, you should avoid such foods completely for 60-90 days. After this period you may begin to slowly re-introduce them into your diet if symptoms do not return.

Environmental allergies can be diagnosed using electrodermal screening and/or a technique known as maximum tolerated intradermal dose testing. The latter test is conducted by the injection of suspected substances into the skin. If an allergic reaction occurs, patients can often become desensitized to such substances by injecting them in the largest dose that does not cause a reaction. In the case of stored toxins, a detoxification regimen can be devised to help eliminate them. It is not unusual for MS patients to experience a complete remission of their symptoms once offending foods and environmental substances are eliminated.

Enzyme Therapy: The use of pancreatic enzymes can improve MS symptoms, often quite dramatically. This natural approach for treating MS is widely used in both Germany and Mexico.

The reason pancreatic enzyme therapy can be so helpful is because of the enzyme`s ability to digest or destroy circulating immune complexes (CICs). CICs are undigested food particles that remain in the blood, triggering an autoimmune reaction that can lead to the destruction of myelin. As they are digested or destroyed by pancreatic enzymes, the autoimmune reaction ceases, often leading to an improvement in MS symptoms, and greater periods of respite before MS symptoms flare up again. To enhance this treatment approach, you can also supplement with essential fatty acids and selenium.

Histamine Therapy: Histamine, a compound created from the amino acid histidine, is released during allergic reactions. Since the 1950s, researchers have known that histamine can relieve MS symptoms due to the various reactions it causes in the body, such as contraction of smooth muscles, dilation of blood vessels, and improved secretion of gastric acid. 

Histamine can be applied topically and absorbed through the skin. When administered to MS patients, research shows that they typically exhibit improved bladder control, cognitive function, and muscle strength, as well as a reduction in the levels of fatigue that often accompany MS. Concurrent with these improvements are an increase of blood flow to the brain, improved digestion, and a cessation of inappropriate immune responses. In some cases, there is also a regrowth of myelin tissue. 

Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy is the application of water, ice, steam and hot and cold temperatures to maintain and restore health. Treatments include full body immersion, steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation and the application of hot and/or cold compresses. Hydrotherapy is effective for treating a wide range of conditions and can easily be used in the home as part of a self-care program. Many Naturopathic Physicians, Physical Therapists and Day Spas use Hydrotherapy as part of treatment. We suggest several at-home hydrotherapy treatments. Please seek the advice of your alternative health care practitioner before undergoing these procedures to make sure they are appropriate for you.

*Purified water is essential for any hydrotherapy treatment. Remedies for Treating Chlorinated Bath Water offers clear instructions and recommendations.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT, involves the placement of patients inside a sealed oxygen chamber. Once inside, patients sit comfortably as the atmospheric pressure is elevated to saturate the body`s tissues with oxygen. In addition to increasing the oxygen supply to the body`s tissues, HBOT can help enhance immune function and reduce inflammation, heal damaged blood vessels and improve blood circulation, and, most importantly, stimulate the production of new myelin.

Physicians in England who administered HBOT to approximately 4,000 MS patients reported that nearly half of them experienced significant benefits, including improved control over their symptoms, less fatigue and pain, and improvements in their balance, bladder control, coordination, upper and lower limb movements, speech, and vision.

According to Richard A. Neubauer, and HBOT expert and author of the book Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, an average of 20 HBOT sessions per year are enough to prevent a return of MS symptoms, with best results being obtained when HBOT is administered as soon as possible after MS symptoms first begin.

Juice Therapy: Short fasts using organic fruit and vegetable juices can help alleviate symptoms.

Lifestyle: Exercise can help MS patients in a variety of ways, including helping to balance immune response, improving mood, and keeping muscles toned and supple. The best forms of exercise for MS patients include walking, gentle aerobic exercise, and yoga.

Stopping smoking and reducing your exposure to secondhand smoke is advised. Research has found that MS patients who smoke experience an immediate deterioration of their motor function, most likely because of how nicotine negatively affects the central nervous system.

In addition, you should also avoid the use of electric heating pads, chlorinated water, and fluoride, which is found in tap water and commercial mouthwashes and toothpastes, all of which can exacerbate MS symptoms.

Magnet Therapy: Though MS can be exacerbated by electromagnetic fields (EMFs), magnet therapy that employs weak pulsed magnetic fields can be very helpful in soothing MS symptoms. Among the MS symptoms that are improved by pulsed magnet therapy are alexia, bladder incontinence, fatigue, and spasticity.

Mind Body Medicine: Mind/body medicine can help MS patients cope with stress, which can significantly increase MS symptoms. Mind/body approaches can be as simple as taking a short, restful nap each day or breathing deeply through the belly periodically for five to ten minutes at a time. Other useful mind/body medicine techniques include biofeedback, guided imagery and visualization, hypnosis, and meditation.

Nutritional Supplements: Proper nutritional supplementation is essential for MS patients. This includes supplementing with essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 oils such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), evening primrose oil, and flaxseeds and flaxseed oil.

Many holistic physicians also recommend oil instillation in conjunction with a chamomile enema. The purpose of the enema, which involves taking chamomile tea into the lower bowel via an enema bag, is to clean out the colon and to relax the intestinal muscles, which can often spasm in cases of MS. Following the enema, 3 tablespoons of either organic, cold-pressed flax, sunflower, or walnut oil is inserted into the colon using a syringe tipped with a catheter. This enables the body to quickly absorb the essential fatty acids the oil contains through the intestinal walls. For best results, both the enema and oil instillation should be administered each night for three weeks. Afterwards, the dose can be reduced to 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons and can be administered three times a week.

In addition to essential fatty acids, the following nutrients are also recommended for MS patients: beta-carotene and carotenoids; bioflavonoids; B-complex vitamins, along with vitamin B1, B3, B5, B6, and B12; vitamin C; vitamin D; vitamin E; folic acid; calcium AEP; coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10); magnesium; selenium; and zinc. Other helpful supplements include alpha lipoic acid; aspartic acid; dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO); gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA); glutamic acid; glycine; methylsufonylmethane (MSM); and the amino acids carnitine, choline, cysteine, glutathione, and methione.

5-HTP (5-hydroxy-tryptophan), which aids in the body's production of the hormones melatonin and serotonin, is also recommended for MS patients.

Alternative Professional Care

The following therapies can also be helpful for cases of multiple sclerosis: Acupressure and Acupuncture (for relief of symptoms), Biofeedback Training and Neurotherapy, Bodywork (Bowen Therapy, Massage Therapy, Feldenkrais Method), Chelation Therapy, Detoxification Therapies (especially therapies that cleanse the lymphatic system, such as dry skin brushing, exercise on a mini-trampoline, herbal wraps, and lymphatic massage exercise), Energy Medicine (Light Beam Generator, Ondamed), Guided Imagery, Hypnotherapy, Mind/Body Medicine, Nutritional Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, reflexology, Tai Chi, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Yoga. (See Glossary for descriptions of these Alternative Therapies.)

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Quick Action Plan for Multiple Sclerosis

1. If you suspect you suffer from multiple sclerosis, seek diagnosis as soon as possible, as early diagnosis can dramatically improve the likelihood of a successful treatment outcome. An excellent means of diagnosing MS is electrodermal screening, which can often detect disease symptoms far earlier than conventional testing methods, and which can also detect hidden causative factors that other tests are unable to find.

2. A healthy diet is essential for dealing successfully with MS. Emphasize a diet that is low in saturated fats and abundant in essential fatty acids. Eat plenty of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, oily fish, free-range poultry, and olive, flaxseed, safflower, and sunflower oils. Organic nuts and seeds, millet, mung beans, and mung bean sprouts are also recommended.

3. Avoid alcohol, chocolate, dairy products, eggs, fast and commercially prepared foods, fermented foods, hydrogenated oils and solid fats, margarine, red meats, salt, shellfish, sugar, and yeast, as well as hydrolyzed vegetable proteins and food additives and preservatives.

4. For additional benefit, supplement with four to ten teaspoons of unsaturated oils each day.

5. Recommended nutritional supplements for MS include B complex vitamins, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, beta carotene and other carotenoids, bioflavonoids, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, calcium AEP, magnesium, selenium, and zinc.

6. Other useful supplements include alpha lipoic acid, CoQ10, DMSO, MSM, and the amino acids carnitine, choline, cysteine, glutathione, and methionine.

7. Test for and eliminate all foods and environmental factors that can cause allergies and sensitivities.

8. To reduce the burden of toxins in your body, consider a program of detoxification therapy, ideally under the supervision of your physician.

9. If you have mercury-containing dental amalgam fillings, have them removed and replaced with new fillings made from materials with which you are biocompatible.

10. Avoid exposure to unhealthy electromagnetic fields (EMFs) caused by electricity flowing through the coils of electrical wires and common home and office appliances and equipment, as well as cell phones and many types of motors. To protect yourself from unhealthy EMFs, consider wearing a Teslar watch and receiving weak pulsed magnet therapy.

11. Be sure to minimize your stress levels using mind/body medicine techniques such as biofeedback, guided imagery and visualization, hypnosis, meditation, and relaxation exercises such as deep breathing.

12. A restful nap each day can also help reduce your MS symptoms.

13. Regularly engage in an exercise program of gentle aerobics or walking to keep your muscles toned and supple.

14. To increase oxygenation of tissues and to stimulate the repair of myelin, consider hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

Find a Natural Cure

Chronic Pain

Overview

Common pain is considered to be the most common health ailment in the United States, with nearly 90 million Americans afflicted by chronic pain to some extent. Unlike acute pain, which is usually temporary and acts as a bodily signal that lets people know they have a health problem in need of their attention, chronic pain tends to be of a continual nature, often lasting six months or more, and of little use as a signal that something is wrong in the body. 

Examples of chronic pain include pain that continues after an injury or wound has healed, and chronic cases of arthritic pain, back pain, and muscle ache. Frequent headaches and migraines, as well as certain types of lingering pain that affects the body's neurological system, are other common examples of chronic pain.

Symptoms

The primary physical symptoms of chronic pain are lasting pain or soreness in any part of the body, chronic stiffness and muscle tension (especially in the back, neck, or shoulders), and/or recurring internal pain, such as headaches or gastrointestinal discomfort that do not go away.

Causes of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is caused by prolonged irritation of nerve endings in the body that act as pain signals. These nerve endings can be irritated or stimulated by injury, inappropriately applied pressure, exposure to excess cold or heat, stress, and wounds. Certain diseases, including some forms of cancer, can also result in chronic pain. Unresolved emotional or mental issues can also cause chronic pain due to the stress associated with them, as can how people perceive their experiences due to the filters of their ethnic and socio-cultural backgrounds. Our early behavioral and learning patterns can also influence how we perceive and respond to pain. In addition, pain medications, as well as other forms of pharmaceutical drugs, can also cause pain due to negative side effects.

Many pain experts, such as Dr. David Bresler, Ph.D., former director of the UCLA Medical School's Pain Control Unit, point out that the experience of pain is often one that is more subjective than objective, meaning that the same external initiation of pain can affect people differently. According to experts such as Dr. Bresler, even if there is no physical explanation for the pain a person feels, to that person the pain is still very much real. Moreover, while some people with chronic pain are able to take their pain in stride and not allow it to significantly interfere with their lives, other people, with the same degree of pain, are unable to cope as well. Such people often become despondent and depressed, feeling that they are helpless to do anything about their condition. In many cases, these are actually beliefs on such peoples' parts, not objective reality. Even so, the subjective responses that a person has to chronic pain should not be ignored, and, if possible, care should be taken to change them to something more positive and empowering because of how such feelings of depression or despondency can exacerbate chronic pain by triggering physical responses such as unhealthy heart rate, high blood pressure, muscle tension, and/or respiratory problems. Left unchecked, these conditions can add further stress and tension on the body's musculoskeletal system. As this happen, the sensations of chronic pain can worsen, setting the stage for even more anxiety and emotional problems, which in turn can lead to even greater levels of pain, thus perpetuating a vicious cycle. 

Food allergies, inflammation, and a diet that creates an internal acidic pH condition, are also common and significant factors that can cause or contribute to chronic pain.

Holistic Approach to Chronic Pain

While many conventional doctors often ignore the psychological factors related to chronic pain, focusing solely on physical pain symptoms, others chose to address a person's mental and emotional issues first, with the expectation that doing so will resolve, or at least minimize, the associated physical pain. Holistic health practitioners, by contrast, emphasize a treatment protocol that addresses the physical and psychological aspects of chronic pain equally. Here are some important steps you can take based on this holistic approach:

• Seek to understand all of the various factors, both physical and mental/emotional, that can potentially be contributing to your pain. Pay attention to how your pain symptoms become triggered or are made worse. For example, if you suffer from back pain, do your symptoms flare up or worsen as a result of specific physical activities? And do you notice a worsening of your symptoms when you become anxious, angry, or find yourself feeling stressful? Learning to recognize your pain triggers can help you devise a plan of action that can help you minimize them or avoid them altogether.

• Realize that, regardless of how severe and debilitating your pain may be, you don't have to be a victim. How you feel about your life situations is ultimately a choice that you make. Even though your pain may be great, if you make the effort, you will soon discover that you are still capable of finding moments of enjoyment, happiness, and gratitude throughout each day. Cultivate the habit of choosing to be happy and grateful on a regular basis.

• Be honest with yourself. Is your lifestyle contributing to your pain? If so, in what way and what are you doing to perpetuate such factors. Once you have identified the answers to these questions, take steps to improve your lifestyle accordingly.

• Are you using your pain to get something that you can attain in more appropriate ways? It's unfortunately not uncommon for people with chronic pain to use their condition as a way to attract sympathy and caring attention from others, especially those whose attention they most value and desire. In other cases, people may use their pain as an excuse to take a break from their daily routines, including their jobs, especially if doing so provides them with the same benefits as daily routines that they do not enjoy. If you fall into these types of categories, consider more appropriate ways by which you can get your needs met and start to implement them.

• Refuse to be a victim. No matter how debilitated your pain may leave you, there are still other areas in your life over which you have control. Exert it and focus as much as possible on activities that leave you feeling empowered. This includes cultivating feelings of cheerfulness, optimism, and good humor.

• Beware of pain medications. Even though pharmaceutical drugs are usually the first, and in many cases the only, resort for treating pain, all such drugs, including aspirin, which kills thousands of Americans each and every year when taken according to its label direction, can cause serious side effects. In addition, many pain medications can also be addictive. Rather than resort to using them, seek out a health care practitioner who is knowledgeable in safe, natural and effective approaches for treating pain.

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Natural Cures

Acupuncture: Acupuncture has long been used by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine as an effective approach for treating chronic pain. Recently, Western researchers have discovered that acupuncture provides pain-relief in two ways. First, acupuncture causes the brain to release increased levels of endorphins and enkepalins, which act as the body's own natural pain killers. Elevated endorphin levels have also been found to be associated with feelings of greater happiness and relaxation, which are very important to anyone suffering with pain. In addition, acupuncture is capable of actually blocking pain signals from reaching the brain. This means that normal pain triggers are not perceived by persons who receive acupuncture treatments to the same extent, if at all, resulting in a significant lessening of pain symptoms. Researchers have discovered that acupuncture accomplishes this because the nerve reactions that are stimulated by acupuncture needles (as well as acupuncture massage) are able to reach the brain faster than pain signals can, thereby closing to door to them.

Although hundreds of studies around the world have demonstrated acupuncture's effectiveness for treating pain for many decades, it was not until 1997 that the National Institutes for Health (NIH) finally endorsed acupuncture as a useful pain treatment. Among the areas that the NIH now recommends acupuncture for are carpal tunnel pain, dental pain, nausea caused by chemotherapy, pain that results from surgical operations, and tennis elbow. 

Research shows that acupuncture is also highly effective for treating arthritis, bursitis, and other inflammatory conditions, as well as headache, migraine, and muscle and skeletal pain. It has also been shown to effectively relieve conditions of anxiety and depression caused by chronic pain, and it can also help people who are addicted to painkillers to end their dependency upon them.

Aromatherapy: For cases of muscular fatigue associated with chronic pain, the essential oils clary sage, lavender, marjoram, and rosemary can all be helpful. The essential oils of black pepper, birch, and ginger are also useful for soothing temporary flare-ups of pain.

Bodywork and Massage: Massage and other forms of bodywork can be extremely effective therapies for easing chronic pain. These types of therapies help relieve chronic muscle tension, which is usually a component of chronic pain. When muscles are chronically tense, the body's ability to eliminate biochemical waste by-products in the muscles and surrounding tissues becomes compromised, adding to the burden of chronic pain. In addition, tense muscles can cause poor circulation, leading to increased levels of pain in the nerves and musculature that can eventually move into other parts of the body. In many cases, the pain located in one area of the body may actually be due to tension and accumulated biochemical wastes in other "trigger point" areas of the body. For example, chronic pain in the wrists can often be due to habitual tension and muscle stress in and around the shoulder and neck areas of the body.

Massage and bodywork help to stimulate the elimination of waste buildup around the muscles and also help to improve overall circulation. Bodyworkers and massage therapists are also skilled at locating stressed trigger points. By massaging these points, they can help restore muscle balance, in the process lengthening muscles that were shortened due to tension, and helping the body to regain its overall symmetry. This, in turn, helps all of the body's systems to function more properly, while at the same time promoting relaxation in the musculoskeletal system, as well as in the nervous system, which plays an important role in how the body perceives and responds to pain. 

Biofeedback Therapy: Biofeedback enables people to become more conscious of the how and when they respond to stress. In the process, people who undergo biofeedback therapy can become better able to control their physiological responses, resulting in greater feelings of relaxation and reduced overall tension. Biofeedback instruments are electronic devices that monitor a person's body temperature, pulse rate, and overall levels of muscle tension. Some devices are also capable of monitoring brain waves patterns, as well. Often we are not consciously aware of how we are storing stress and tension in our bodies. Biofeedback helps people to become aware of these processes and, in doing so, also empowers people to gain better voluntary control over them, making greater levels of relaxation possible. Eventually, with practice, persons who receive biofeedback no longer require the devices to be aware of their physiological responses. Instead, they become able to recognize them on their own and, using their own minds, they are able to regulate and change them at will. Research has shown that this ability, once learned through biofeedback therapy, can dramatically alleviate numerous pain conditions. 

Chiropractic: Chiropractic is an excellent therapy for relieving and, in many cases, eliminating pain caused by tension in the musculoskeletal system. The reasons for chiropractic's success in this area are five-fold:

1. Chiropractic is able to release pressure on the nerves, including pinched nerves;

2. it also helps to ease compression in the joints;

3. as a result of a chiropractic adjustment, muscles are stretched and restored to their proper length, and tension and muscle spasms caused by constricted trigger points are released;

4. chiropractic adjustments result in greater elasticity and stability in body tissues and ligaments, making it an ideal treatment for injuries to these areas of the body; and

5. as the chiropractic adjustments take hold, they help to reduce or eliminate referred pain to and from the spine and central nervous system and the corresponding internal organs.

Chiropractors also typically assess the various aspects of a patient's lifestyle, environment, and mental/emotion factors that can be contributing to his or her pain, providing guidance and self-care exercises that can help correct such influences. Many chiropractors are also skilled nutritionists and will work with patients to determine whether dietary or nutritional deficiencies are contributing to their problems. Hobbies, work habits, relationship issues, and other issues, such as environmental illness, may also be examined.

According to chiropractic theory, many times pain in the body is due to misalignments in the spine, called subluxations by chiropractors. Subluxation causes pressure on the nerves that run along the length of the brain stem and spinal cord to influence all of the body's other systems. When subluxation is present, the messages and impulses from the pain to the body's internal organs can become compromised, resulting in diminished nerve and organ function. In addition, subluxation can cause joints and ligaments to also become misaligned, resulting in tense and tightened muscles that become more sensitive and susceptible to pain, as well as muscles that are in chronic state of spasm.

Detoxification Therapy: Many pain symptoms are often due to or exacerbated by stored toxins in the body that originate from our environment and/or the foods we eat. Another common source of toxins are dental amalgam fillings, which are 50 percent mercury, a highly toxic substance. Over time, mercury vapors escape from the fillings to be swallowed and stored into body tissues and organs. As toxins build up in the body, eventually the body's detoxification mechanisms are unable to properly handle them. The end result is that the toxins can become lodged in the body's tissues and organs, causing them to function improperly, to the point where pain develops.

Due to our toxic environment, holistic practitioners will often recommend that people suffering from chronic pain be tested for toxins. If they are present, a proper course of detoxification therapy is developed by the health practitioner. Common self-care methods of detoxification include a change of diet, colon cleanses (see Cleansing and Detoxification for more information), juice fasts, dry and far-infrared saunas, and enemas. Alternative professional care approaches include chelation therapy, colonics, environmental medicine, and orthomolecular medicine.

Diet: Diet and nutrition are both essential aspects of a treatment plan for chronic pain, just as they are for all other disease conditions. One of the primary causes of chronic pain, as well a major contributor to many of chronic disease conditions, is inflammation. Inflammation can be caused by a diet that is too acidic, creating an acid pH state that is an ideal breeding ground for the various microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, etc) that can affect our health. It is also often caused by allergic reactions to the foods we eat. Therefore, the dietary goal of anyone suffering from chronic pain should include eating plenty of organic, plant-based foods, especially dark, leafy green vegetables that help create an alkaline (non-acidic) state in the body. Eliminating sodas, coffee, milk, and alcohol and drinking plenty of pure, filtered water is also recommended. You should also avoid all sugar and simple carbohydrate foods (white bread, pasta, etc.), eating complex, nonallergenic foods instead. Also avoid foods that are high in unhealthy saturated fats. These include dairy products, red meat, hydrogenated oils, and shellfish, as well as margarine and shortenings. Commercial fruit juices should also be avoided, due to their high sugar content.

The bulk of your diet should emphasize organic, raw and lightly steamed vegetables. Sprouted seeds and nuts are also highly recommended, as are most fruits (eaten away from other foods), almonds, dates and walnuts. Also include organic, free-range poultry and cold-water fish that are not farm raised. 

In addition, you will need to determine if you have any food allergies or sensitivities, which many people do, and which are often undiagnosed or "hidden." Common allergy-causing foods include wheat, corn, peanuts, soy, tomatoes, shellfish, dairy products, and chocolate, although any food or food substance can potentially cause an allergic reaction. Should it be determined that you are allergic to certain foods, you will need to eliminate them from your diet for at least three months, in order to give your body the opportunity to detoxify and replenish itself. After this three-month period, you can reintroduce some of the foods to which you were allergic one at a time. If they cause no further reaction, you can begin to include them in your diet again, eating them no more than once every four to seven days. (As a good rule of thumb, no food should be eaten any more often than every four days. This is known as a rotation diet and can significantly minimize your risk of developing food allergies.)

Energy Medicine: Energy medicine involves harnessing or stimulating the body to heal by interacting with the bioenergy field that surrounds all living matter. Energy medicine has two basic categories: energetic therapies that are similar to the Biblical concept of "laying on of hands," such as Reiki, Healing Touch, and Therapeutic Touch, all of which can significantly improve pain symptoms, and which can be taught to patients as a form of self-care, as well as being provided by professional energy healers.

A number of energy devices that emit energetic frequencies capable of stimulating healing and pain relief can also be very useful for chronic pain conditions. One of the most well-known of these devices is the TENS Unit, which stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, and was developed by pioneering holistic physician and researcher C. Norman Shealy. The TENS Unit is a small, portable device that transmits varying electrical frequencies to areas of pain via electrodes that are attached to the body. Not only do TENS Units help to alleviate pain, they are also capable of blocking pain signals and may also stimulate endorphin production, enhancing feelings of overall well-being. In addition, TENS Units can be used as a form of self-care by patients once they are taught how to use them, making them especially convenient. Among the pain conditions for which research shows the TENS Unit to be effective are neuromuscular pain, pain following surgery, and various injuries, including sports injuries.

Two other useful energy devices for treating pain are the Electro-AcuscopeTM and the Light Beam Generator. The Electro-Acuscope, like the TENS Unit, uses electrical current, but at a lower voltage rate. In addition, it focuses on repairing damaged tissues instead of treating the nerves. As the device is used, the current is continually adjusted so that it matches the level of resistance within the areas of tissue damage. This stimulates a healing response within those areas that tends to be long-lasting. Among the painful conditions that the Electro-Acuscope has been shown to help are arthritic pain, bursitis, bruises, back sprains, musculoskeletal disorders, and neuralgia. It is also very helpful in alleviating pain caused by injury, including sports injuries.

The Light Beam Generator, or LBG, employs low-current, cold gas photons that transmit and transfer various energy frequencies to the cells of the lymphatic system in areas of underlying pain. In addition to being an important part of the immune system, the lymphatic system also serves as the body's filtration system and plays a vital role in eliminating cellular wastes. When the lymphatic system becomes clogged, these wastes and their by-products are not properly eliminated, and can cause tissue swelling as well as blockages in circulation that prevent oxygen and nutrients from getting to the cells.

The energy frequencies emitted by the LBG positively impact the electromagnetic field of cells and tissues over which it is placed. This, in turn, rebalances their electrical charge, enabling the cells to rapidly rid themselves of accumulated waste products and cellular debris. In the process, not only does this improved the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the cells, it also helps to reduce swelling, including edema. The LBG is useful for treating many types of chronic pain conditions, and is especially effective for treating pain in areas of soft tissue and pain caused by congested tissues resulting from injury. Other conditions for which it can be effective include arthritis, burns, bursitis, fibromyalgia, lupus, scarring, and sciatica.

Energy medicine can also be used to detect hidden causes of pain. Thermography is one such diagnostic approach. It is both safe and highly accurate, and involves the detection of infrared heat emitted from various areas in the body. Infrared heat is emitted as a natural byproduct of cellular metabolism. However, cells and tissues associated with pain usually emit greater levels of infrared heat compared to healthy, normal cells. Thermography devices are able to detect these differences in infrared heat emission, helping to pinpoint problem areas in the body that might otherwise go undetected.

Other energy devices, such as the Ondamed and Photon Stimulator, can also be helpful in dealing with chronic pain. The Ondamed is also capable of detecting hidden factors that might be contributing to your pain.

Guided Imagery and Visualization: Guided imagery and visualization involve the focused control of the imagination to stimulate healing. One of the fastest growing areas in the field of mind/body medicine, guided imagery and visualization not only empower patients to can more control over their pain symptoms, they can oftentimes also enable them to discover underlying mental and emotional issues associated with their pain that need to be resolved. Here is a simple and effective visualization exercise you can use to help manage your own pain:

Close your eyes as you seat your self in a comfortable chair (you can also perform this exercise lying down). Take a few, deep, relaxing breaths, removing your awareness from all external stimuli. To help you relax, focus on observing your breath as you inhale and exhale. Now imagine your pain appearing before you in your mind's eye. Allow yourself to see it as it feels to you--for example, as a burning fire. Instead of feeling anxious, know that you are in control of this scene and call upon your innate healing abilities to heal your pain. Using the same example, imagine a downpour of cool, soothing water as it extinguishes the painful flames. As the flames are doused, feel how the pain you felt also lessens. With practice, simply recalling this exercise can help to provide immediate relief of your pain.

Another common guided imagery approach to managing pain is to imagine yourself having a dialogue with it. To perform this exercise, again close your eyes and get relaxed. Then imagine your pain standing before you, letting it take any form that seems most appropriate. Instead of fearing or resenting it, start to engage in a dialogue with it, mentally asking it what it is trying to tell you. Through such dialogues, many patients who have practiced this exercise have been surprised to discover the answers they needed to heal. 

A variation of this exercise is recommended by noted mind/body expert Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. He advises patients with pain to simply observe their pain symptoms as they arise as a form of meditation. Doing so, according to Dr. Kabat-Zinn, allows patients to become detached from their pain symptoms and helps them experience their pain differently and less painfully. 

Flower Essences: Flower remedies are excellent for coping with the emotional issues associated with chronic pain, such as anxiety, depression, despair, anger, and hopelessness. Rescue RemedyTM is an all-purpose remedy that can be used to help cope with any type of disease condition.

Homeopathy: Useful homeopathic remedies for helping to ease pain symptoms include Arnica, Belladonna, and Rhus. Tox. Calendual lotion applied topically over painful areas of the body can also be helpful.

Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy is the application of water, ice, steam and hot and cold temperatures to maintain and restore health. Treatments include full body immersion, steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation and the application of hot and/or cold compresses. Hydrotherapy is effective for treating a wide range of conditions and can easily be used in the home as part of a self-care program. Many Naturopathic Physicians, Physical Therapists and Day Spas use Hydrotherapy as part of treatment. We suggest several at-home hydrotherapy treatments. Please seek the advice of your alternative health care practitioner before undergoing these procedures to make sure they are appropriate for you.

Hyperthermia: Hyperthermia involves artificially creating fever in the body for the purpose of boosting immune function. Hyperthermia can be a highly effective method of eliminating toxins and heavy metals, as well as infectious bacteria and viruses that cannot survive in elevated body temperatures. We suggest several at-home hyperthermia treatments. Please seek the advice of your alternative health care practitioner before undergoing these sweat-inducing procedures to make sure they are appropriate for you.

*Purified water is essential for any hydrotherapy and hyperthermia treatment. The section Remedies for Treating Chlorinated Bath Water offers clear instructions and recommendations.

Hypnotherapy: Hypnotherapy, which is endorsed by the American Medical Association as a pain treatment, works by helping patients marshall their inner resources for healing. It also can help patients tap into deeper, previously unconscious reasons and solutions for their pain.

One useful hypnosis technique is called symptom substitution. During hypnosis, as the patient focuses on his or her pain symptoms, the hypnotherapist will often suggest that, instead of the normal experience associated with the patient's symptoms, the patient change the sensation to one of warmth or something equally soothing. In this way, patients discover that they have far more control over their pain than they might have imagined.

Hypnotherapy is also very effective for resolving the anxiety and fears that can often bother patients with chronic pain, as well as helping them to uncover and resolve past traumas that might also be associated with their symptoms. Among the pain conditions for which hypnotherapy has been shown to be useful are abdominal pain, back pain, pain from burns, pain from headaches and migraines, and joint pain.

Magnetic Therapy: Magnet therapy has been employed by natural healers for many centuries as a means of reducing and healing pain symptoms. According to William H. Philpott, MD, one of the world's leading experts in magnet therapy, this type of natural cure has many uses as a pain-relieving therapy. Dr. Philpott recommends that the negative field produced by magnets and magnetic devices be used to treat pain because of its ability to quickly and effectively resolve the metabolic dysfunctions that can cause pain. Contrary to popular belief, magnet therapy is not a painkiller in the direct sense. Rather, it normalizes disruptive metabolic processes, which, as they return to normal, cause pain symptoms to be reduced or eliminated.

Magnet therapy can also flood swollen cells and tissues with oxygen, as well as shifting acidic pH levels to a healthier alkaline state. In addition, it can also coax the body into producing more melatonin and growth hormone, both of which help to stimulate the body's healing and reparative mechanisms.

Neural Therapy: Neural therapy was developed in Germany in 1985. It involves the use of a local anesthetic, such as lidocaine or procaine, which is injected into the body in order to clear out interference in the body's bioelectrical system. In doing so, neural therapy can help to eliminate energy blockages, alleviate chronic pain symptoms, and even reverse injuries.

According to German researchers, at least 40 percent of all chronic pain symptoms, as well as of all disease, are directly due to blockages or interferences in the body's bioelectrical network. These disturbances create what are known as interference fields. By injecting local anesthetics into acupuncture points, as well as glands, scars, muscle tissue, and bundles of nerves located along the autonomous nervous system, practitioners of neural therapy are able to remove such interference fields. In the process, cells and tissues recover their proper bioelectric capacities, as well as becoming better able to get rid of stored, congested cellular toxins and wastes. In short, the cells and tissues return to normal function, speeding healing and significantly reducing or eliminating pain.

Neural therapy is particularly effective for treating conditions of pain that affect the nervous system.

Nutritional Supplements: In addition to the above dietary measures, the following nutritional supplements are also recommended: vitamin C, vitamin E, evening primrose oil, omega-3 fish oils, and the amino acid DL-phenylalanine, all of which can provide your body with and improved pain-fighting capacity, and all of which have been shown to reduce and prevent inflammation. Acidophilus, bifidobacteria, digestive and proteolytic enzymes, as well as rice-based protein powders are also helpful. Raw organic whey protein, though difficult to locate is available and can be used as an option to rice-based protein powder.

Alternative Professional Care

The following therapies can also be useful for treating chronic pain: Acupressure, Applied Kinesiology, Craniosacral Therapy, Environmental Medicine, Mind/Body Medicine, Osteopathy, Oxygen Therapy (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy), Prolotherapy, Qigong, Reflexology, Rolfing, Tai Chi, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Trager Work, and Yoga. (See Glossary for descriptions of these Alternative Therapies.)

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Quick Action Plan for Dealing with Chronic Pain

To Print this Section: 

1. Refuse to be a victim of your pain. Take responsibility for your situation and know that you are in control of it. This simple yet sometimes difficult step can often make all the difference in terms of how fast and effectively you heal.

2. Take steps to determine whether or not toxins, either from the environment or from the foods you eat, are contributing to your pain symptoms. If so, undergo a period of detoxification and internal cleansing.

3. Identify and eliminate all foods to which you are allergic or sensitive. Also eliminate all processed foods from your diet, as well as sugars, simple carbohydrates, alcohol, coffee, soda, and foods high in saturated and hydrogenated fats. Instead, emphasize a diet of fresh, organic foods, with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables at every meal, and lots of pure, filtered water throughout the day.

4. Supplement your diet with vitamin C, vitamin E, evening primrose oil, omega 3 fish oils, magnesium, acidophilus, bifidobacteria, digestive and proteolytic enzymes, and the amino acid DL-phenylalanine.

5. Learn biofeedback, guided imagery and visualization, and self-hypnosis techniques to better manage and control your pain symptoms, and to discover their potential underlying causes.

6. Make use of magnet therapy and hydrotherapy (cold and/or hot water compresses, and soothing baths) to further reduce or eliminate your symptoms.

7. Make it a point to receive regular sessions of massage or other forms of bodywork.

8. Visit a chiropractor and/or acupuncturist.

9. Consider the use of energy devices, such as the TENS Unit, and/or visit a reputable energy healer.

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