BACKGROUND: Mind-body therapies are used to manage physical and psychological symptoms in many chronic health conditions. OBJECTIVE: To assess the published evidence for using mind-body techniques for symptom management of multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Medline, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Clinical Trials Register were searched from inception to March 24, 2012. Eleven mind-body studies were reviewed (meditation, yoga, biofeedback, hypnosis, relaxation, and imagery). RESULTS: Four high quality trials (yoga, mindfulness, relaxation, and biofeedback) were found helpful for a variety of MS symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence for mind-body medicine in MS is limited, yet mind-body therapies are relatively safe and may provide a nonpharmacological benefit for MS symptoms.

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