By Amber Mills.

Statistics show that around 350,000 to 500,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It is more common in women and Caucasians and is usually diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 to 50.

The symptoms of MS can vary person to person but the common symptoms tend to be weakness, spasticity, balance problems, vision loss, numbness, tremors and fatigue. People that have MS may have times where they experience symptoms daily and then they may go into remission and have little to no symptoms at all.

According to a recent study published in The Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation (July 2013), people with multiple sclerosis who received massage therapy three times a week for five weeks showed significant improvements in pain, balance and walking speed. Massage can reduce muscle spasticity, which is often experienced by people with Multiple Sclerosis. If a massage therapist can reduce muscle spasticity by relaxing muscles, then the client can experience an increase in range of motion, and a decrease in pain.

Do you have a family member or client with Multiple Sclerosis? Do they have days when their symptoms flare up? Perhaps it’s time to recommend that they try massage therapy to bring them some relief.

Amber Mills – Curriculum Director

“It is my hope that our students walk away from Soma with confidence in their clinical massage skills and their ability to naturally help the body heal.”