Some popular alternative therapies to treat spinal muscular atrophy include osteopathy, acupuncture, and homeopathy. They are known to work in a lot of cases and have shown positive results. So, this article talks about some of these alternative therapies in detail.

Osteopathy 
In osteopathy, the expert practitioners would try to treat spinal muscular atrophy via massages with an attempt of manipulating the muscles and the skeleton system. In most cases, osteopathy has shown incredible results. Some organizations and institutions across the world have regarded osteopathy to be an effective treatment for lower back-related pain.

The noted side effect of using this alternative treatment include tenderness or pain in the area treated, fatigue, or headache. As such, there haven’t ever been any major complications because of the use of this therapy.

Osteopathy shouldn’t be used as an active treatment method for individuals who have osteoporosis, cancer, blood clotting disorders, multiple sclerosis, or fractures. At times, the individuals who have spinal muscular atrophy might also have low bone density. So, before starting with the treatment, it is best to consult the medical team.  

Acupuncture
It is a 2000-year old practice, which involves the method of needle insertion into the energy points or the meridians of the body. In the traditional method, the needle is inserted into the body to release the bad energy and further redirect the trapped energy.

There have been multiple studies that involved random controlled trials towards acupuncture. The results, though, have given mixed results. Some people did showcase a positive shift because of the treatment, while in others there was so benefit as such. Thus, one should consult their doctor before exposing themselves to this alternative therapy to treat spinal muscular atrophy. 

As such, there are no known side effects of acupuncture. Hence, if the needles used are sterile, the risk is almost negligible. The first session of acupuncture will be a little costlier than others because it would also include an assessment of the problem areas.

Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a principal and an alternative treatment method used worldwide. It is known to produce positive results in approximately 41% of people. However, its effectiveness in treating SMA is not fully known. Though it may be helpful for a large number of health conditions, there are no studies to prove its effectiveness in treating SMA. So, it isn’t certain whether or not it would work. However, if one has a heads-up from their healthcare team and there’s no other treatment working, then it doesn’t hurt to try.

One should keep in mind that homeopathic medications might interact with the medications that one is already taking, and bring in dangerous risk. Hence, one should ask the pharmacist about any known side effects occurring as a result of the interaction between two different medications.