Alternative Medicine and Multiple Sclerosis [Paperback]

Allen C. Bowling (Author), Allen C., Md. Ph.D. Bowling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2001

These therapies are organized alphabetically so that readers can readily pinpoint a specific treatment and learn about its origins, merits, and possible uses in MS. They will find in-depth discussions on topics that include acupuncture, biofeedback, chiropractic medicine, cooling therapy, yoga, diets and fatty acid supplements, the use of herbs, vitamins and minerals, and much more. With this book, readers will be able to: * find unconventional options that may provide symptomatic relief when conventional therapies are limited * learn about potentially dangerous interactions between CAM therapies and medical treatments used in the management of MS * identify CAM therapies that are possibly effective, low risk, and inexpensive * recognize ineffective, dangerous, or costly alternative therapies A section on integrating conventional and unconventional medicine links specific symptoms to potentially useful CAM therapies. This means that if readers have a particular concern, such as spasticity or bladder problems, they will be able to identify potentially useful alternative strategies. A glossary of popular supplements that are commonly used in MS care is provided.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rarely does a publication address an unmet need as thoroughly as Alternative Medicine and Multiple Sclerosis." -- InsideMS, Summer 2001

About the Author

Allen C. Bowling, M.D., Ph.D., is Associate Medical Director at The Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center, Englewood, Colorado. During the past few years he has focused specifically on CAM therapies as they apply to MS, and has lectured on this topic extensively to both patient and professional groups.

Product Details

• Paperback: 251 pages
• Publisher: Demos Health; 1 edition (January 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888799528
• ISBN-13: 978-1888799521
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #363,886 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #63 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Disorders & Diseases > Multiple Sclerosis

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good resource, April 17, 2002

By 

Kathleen (San Rafael, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alternative Medicine and Multiple Sclerosis (Paperback)

I don't agree with the reviews that state this book as not being helpful. Obviously a MD is careful about recommending alternative therapies (and to do it in writing goes even farther against their grain.) With that said, Dr. Bowling includes a multitude of options and resources that any proactive patient would find of value. And he states right up front that he supports a complementary approach that uses western practices along with the alternative therapies. He offers fact, theory and opinion on these therapies (he's ok with just about every one that doesn't involve infusions/IVs, chemicals and the like) And yes, he has a bias for the ABC&Rebif drugs (and there's nothing wrong with that... I've read a lot of books written by alternative practioners who don't have anything good to say about western options/drugs; so one needs to consider the source and take a proactive approach to his/her own healing.) Just the section on Vitamins, Minerals & Other NonHerbal Supplements is worth it (having that info whittled down to 23 pages versus some oversized volume on the topic was great.) If you've gotten this far (meaning you're interested enough in this title to be reading the reviews), I say Go For It; one can never have enough info and if this book gives you just one new piece of information... then that's one more than what you started with.

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent starting point, October 10, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Alternative Medicine and Multiple Sclerosis (Paperback)

To explore alternative medicine is to take a journey into aspects of healing that are outside of patentable pharmacology. The journey is easier with a map, but the map is only a starting point. When considering alternative medicine, we need to make our own decisions about approaches to health that often have not been studied in the way that patentable drugs have been studied. Even so, the journey should begin by learning what has previously been reported on the subject.

Dr. Bowling's book is a fist-rate description of the terrain of alternative medicine. Unlike other MS-specific books about alternative medicine, his is based on a review of published literature rather than on personal experience, anecdote and fancy.

Part of Dr. Bowling's accomplishment is that he has managed to catalogue a diverse and hard-to-define area. More imortantly, it describes, in succint and easy-to-understand and language, the published research that is available on about 40 different areas of alternative medicine.

Don't buy the book thinking there is a cure for MS to be found in its pages. On the other hand, if you are looking for a starting point for understanding alternative medicine, then this book is a useful resource.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than expected, January 19, 2003

By 

merrymousies (Waterford, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alternative Medicine and Multiple Sclerosis (Paperback)

After reading some of the reviews I hestitated on buying this. I had just been diagnosed with MS. I started taking the shots (and still am) but wanted to find other things that I could do. From the reviews I thought this would be an alternative medicine bashing book but its not. It states the facts as they are and shows pros and cons, leave a lot for the reader to consider. I found this to be a well-rounded book that had good info.