Cranial electrotherapy stimulation may help some MS patients by sending electrical impulses to the brain.
Multiple sclerosis is a degenerative autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. Symptoms vary widely among those diagnosed with MS, but common ailments include muscle weakness, numb limbs, blurred vision and even paralysis. There is no known cure for MS, so patients and their families are turning to alternative treatments, such as cranial electrotherapy stimulation, to attempt to treat it. Cranial electrotherapy stimulation passes electrical impulses across the base of the skull to change the brain's electrical activity. It has improved or eliminated symptoms for some MS patients but is still considered experimental by the mainstream medical community.
Instructions
1. Talk with your doctor about your desire to try cranial electrotherapy stimulation to treat your multiple sclerosis. Weigh the pros and cons with him and listen to his recommendations. If he isn't supportive of the treatment, speak with another doctor to get a second opinion. Be sure that the doctor who you ultimately select to do the treatment is experienced and has successfully administered cranial electrotherapy stimulation to multiple sclerosis patients.
2. Plan for how you will pay for the treatment. Your health insurance company may not cover cranial electrotherapy stimulation because some consider it to be experimental. If it isn't covered, you will have to pay for the treatment out of pocket. Treatment prices vary widely depending on what you have done and any other fees your doctor charges. Ask your doctor if he can offer a monthly payment plan to help you afford the treatment.
3. See your doctor for the treatment. He will place small clips or earbuds on or in your ears. The electrical impulses will pass through these. You won't feel anything while this happens, and it takes about 15 minutes, depending on the course of treatment that you and your doctor choose.
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