Influence of Tuina Therapy on Pain as Regards Quality of Life Among Patients Suffering from Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has a harmful influence on the quality of life (QoL) and a patient’s efficiency, including physical, emotional and social aspects of the everyday life. The subjective nature of pain prevents therapeutants from having an objective standard which can estimate the intensity of pain and its influence on the QoL. The aim of the research is to determine the positive effect from the Chinese tuina massage on the degree of pain among patients suffering from multiple sclerosis.  The research was conducted over a period of 3 years (2014-2017) at the Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Ward of 8^th Diagnostic-consultative center in Sofia, and also as home rehabilitation. For the purposes of the research we formed an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG) consisting of 25 patients in a remission phase. The patients from the EG undertook 10 procedures with tuina therapy, while those from the CG were given only SF-36-scale about QoL. The results from the statistical processing of the two questions regarding the quality evaluation of the intensity of pain in the patients’ normal working environment and in their daily routine over a 4-week period show a significant improvement among the EG compared to the CG at the end of the research. The results from this study show that tuina therapy can be very beneficial for reducing the intensity of pain, improving the functional possibilities and quality of life among patients with MS. The significantly better results among the EG compared to the CG prove tuina therapy is an effective method for successful handling of pain symptoms.

Keywords: multiple sclerosis, pain, tuina, quality of life, chinese massage

DOI: 10.7176/JMPB/52-01