Saturday, April 27, 2024
In BriefAlison Peebles fights back against MS

Alison Peebles fights back against MS

ONE of Scotland’s leading actresses has come back fighting after a multiple sclerosis diagnosis left her facing life in a wheelchair,

However, a spine manipulation treatment has greatly improved her outlook and the actress has hailed the “dramatic” improvements she is seeing.

Alison Peebles, who once starred in the likes of Taggart, River City and High Times, was diagnosed with the condition in 2001.

She experienced rapid decline in her mobility and began collapsing more frequently.

After 18 weeks of treatment, Peebles says she now feels “optimistic” for the future.

She said: “The benefits of this treatment have been quite dramatic. After 18 weeks of treatment, my walking, balance and vision are hugely improved and my body is much more flexible.”

“I still use a crutch but if I continue like this, I feel optimistic that I can keep my feet and delay the imminent need for a wheelchair,” she added.

Peebles has been treated by Chongsu Lee, a physiotherapist and former engineer for Hyundai in South Korea, at his Edinburgh Clinic.

Lee said: “When Alison came to see me she was walking haltingly, her posture was stooped and she looked quite tired.

“These symptoms and other issues seemed to have been affecting her quality of life and acting career.”

The technique involves gentle manipulation of the spine and surrounding soft tissue to release tension from the body, allowing better movements of the neck, shoulders and back.

As tension around the spine gradually eases off, blood and lymph circulation and nerve function improve.

Between 100 and 140 people in every 100,000 in England and Wales suffer from MS but rates in Scotland are much higher at up to 190 per 100,000.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological condition. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20-40 but it can affect younger and older people too.

Almost three times as many women have MS as men.

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