When you think of chiropractic care, you generally think about things like back and neck pain, whiplash, or sports injuries. But chiropractic manipulation has been shown to help with many conditions from asthma to menstrual pain. One condition that may be helped by chiropractic care is multiple sclerosis (MS). Read on to discover how spinal realignment is paving the way to a better life for some MS sufferers. 

MS Basics

MS is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. It is the most common neurological disease in young adults. The cause of MS is unclear, but something triggers the body's immune system to attack the central nervous system, damaging the myelin, the protective covering of the nerve fibers. This damage affects the ability of brain signals to communicate with the rest of the body causing symptoms such as numbness, tingling, pain, memory problems, tiredness, and mood swings. In some cases, if it attacks the optic nerve, it can lead to blindness.

Treating MS

There is no known cure for MS, but there are ways to manage and lessen the often-disabling symptoms that occur during MS attacks or exacerbations. Because MS is such a complicated disease and attacks different systems and body parts, it takes a comprehensive medical approach to manage it effectively. Typically, your "team" of providers will be headed up by a neurologist, who will refer you to various specialists for treating related conditions or symptoms. A chiropractor can be a valuable member of your MS management team.

How Chiropractic Can Help MS Sufferers

Although chiropractic care can't cure MS, it can help ease some of the symptoms. Chiropractic care is based on the idea that pain, inflammation, mobility problems, and other conditions can be relieved by manipulating the joints to better realign them. Because pain, joint inflammation, and mobility problems are primary symptoms of MS, a chiropractor may be able to help. It may not help in every case, but anecdotal evidence from some MS patients shows that it can provide relief for some.

Because MS degrades the ability of the brain to communicate with the other parts of the spine and body, realigning the joints through chiropractic can help improve that communication. This realignment can reduce pain and numbness, as well as increase mobility, so that MS sufferers can accomplish the day-to-day tasks of living. Check with your primary MS care provider to make sure joint manipulation won't be detrimental in your case and then find a reputable chiropractic care partner that will help you to experience a better quality of life.

Contact a company like Erb Family Wellness to learn more.