There are over 26,ooo people diagnosed with MS in Australia and nearly 2.8 million world wide living with the condition. There is currently no known cure, but there are treatments options to help manage symptoms and flare ups.
Self-care options range from listening to your body, getting adequate rest where possible, regular light exercise and stating healthy with a balanced diet.
WHAT IS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition of the central nervous system, interfering with nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. It is characterised by sclerosis a Greek word meaning scars. These scars occur within the central nervous system and depending on where they develop, manifest into various symptoms.
CAN FLOATING HELP?
Floating, float tank therapy or sensory deprivation tanks, can assist people with MS in a variety of ways. Each person is individual and their experience of the benefits of float tank therapy will vary. However, sometimes the key to seeing positive results is from consistency. As with any new option the cumulative effect can be more profound and realised over time. Floating is no different and regular floaters agree that their experience and benefits can alter over time.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
1. Floating helps MS by reducing inflammation, pain and muscle soreness through the absorption of Magnesium. Float pods are filled with warm water saturated with 500kgs of Epsom Salt, also known as Magnesium Sulfate salt. Magnesium has been clearly identified as a lacking and deficient nutrient in our bodies. Magnesium is a key ingredient in many key processes from musculoskeletal, to neurologic, to cardiovascular to digestive, and more.
2. Floating helps MS by lowering blood pressure while reducing cortisol and adrenaline output. Feedback mechanisms in the brain respond to the state of relaxation that occurs during floating, which leads to reduced blood pressure and reduced adrenal burnout though minimizing the secretion of stress hormones.
3. Floating helps MS further by reducing stress through increasing the output of “happy hormones”. Research has demonstrated that floatation therapy elevates the secretions of both serotonin and dopamine.
4. Floating improves sleep. People with MS often have sleep issues. When you don’t sleep well, you don’t heal well and this distorts the immune system even further. While floating, you enter various stages of sleep and associated brainwaves, which helps the brain to rewire and repair, otherwise known as neuroplasticity.
If you would like to learn more about how float tank therapy can assist you with MS, then please feel free to reach out to us, we’re always here to help.
