Q. I have tried using medication to relieve back pain but it is not working, despite my doctor’s best efforts. I find exercise - especially swimming - helps sometimes but not always. Are there any other complementary approaches that might be able to help?
A. Since medications for pain are not always effective when used alone, adding a complementary therapy seems to be helpful for some people with MS in optimising pain relief. In addition to these, a few studies have been conducted on chiropractic therapy for pain for people with MS. Spinal manipulation was commonly used and people with MS often reported pain relief. Further, chiropractic management of chronic pain specifically in MS using manipulation has been reported to be effective for low back pain, although this is based on anecdotal accounts from pain sufferers and not based on well-designed trials. A physical therapist or rehabilitation physician should be able to help you assess whether this complementary approach to treating your back pain is right for you.
Q. For about a month I’ve been experiencing occasional sharp pain in my left breast. People in my MS support group told me that pain is common in MS and that it’s probably related to my disease. Should I be worried that it’s something else, or is it probably just MS?
A. Breast pain has not been associated with MS in the literature as a type of pain related to the disease. Remember that having MS unfortunately does not safeguard people from other illnesses. It is important that you speak with your general practitioner about the pain you are experiencing so he or she can advise you on what you should do.
Q. My doctor doesn’t seem to take my pain concerns seriously and hasn’t really acknowledged that it is part of my MS. What should I do?
A. Pain has not always been acknowledged as a symptom related to MS and some people with MS may find it hard to explain the pain they are feeling. The result of this may be that many physicians, particularly general practitioners, are not familiar with the fact that people with MS can experience pain of different types and origins, or that MS pain is often neurogenic in origin. Whether we’re talking about a general practitioner or other health care professional, you can have an important role in educating him or her about your disease. Many MS societies have literature available on MS symptoms, of which pain is included. Helping your health care practitioner access this material may be one way in which you can actively arrive at a solution for having your experience with pain acknowledged and addressed.
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