| nd-color: #ffffff;" /> | | | | 3,000 patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis |
| Complementary therapies- also called alternative | | | | found that those receiving acupuncture had more |
| therapies- are gaining more popularity because of | | | | pain relief than those who did not. Other studies |
| the fear that many people have of | | | | looking at acupuncture in osteoarthritis have been |
| pharmaceutical products. | | | | inconclusive. Some authorities feel the benefit may |
| Many of these complementary treatments are | | | | be placebo or expectation related. A closely |
| common sense measures that depend on lifestyle | | | | related art is acupressure where manual pressure |
| changes. Alterations in diet, institution of exercise | | | | substitutes for needle insertion. |
| programs, cessation of tobacco, reduction in | | | | 2. Guided imagery. Also called visualization, this |
| alcohol consumption, control of stress are | | | | treatment involves using the mind to conjure up |
| considered to fall under the | | | | visions of an enjoyable soothing environment such |
| “complementary” umbrella but | | | | as a beach or a mountain lake, etc. |
| have been advocated for many years by | | | | The Mayo people say, “guided imagery |
| traditional physicians as well. | | | | helps reduce anxiety in patients who become |
| Complementary therapies should not necessarily | | | | claustrophobic during magnetic resonance imaging |
| be used exclusively. The word | | | | (MRI) scans, who are having outpatient surgery |
| “complementary” indicates that | | | | without general anesthesia or who have been |
| these therapies should be used alongside traditional | | | | diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, such as |
| medicines. And it is that combination- traditional | | | | cancer." In arthritis, guided imagery is one of the |
| plus complementary- that seems to offer the | | | | techniques that is employed in cognitive behavioral |
| best long term results. | | | | therapy which is a particularly useful treatment |
| One of the leaders in both traditional as well as | | | | modality for fibromyalgia. |
| complementary medicine approaches has been | | | | 3. Hypnosis. Either self-hypnosis or formal hypnosis |
| the venerable Mayo Clinic. The director of the | | | | by a therapist can be very effective for dealing |
| Mayo Complementary and Integrative Medicine | | | | with chronic disease and chronic pain. |
| Division, Dr. Amit Sood, has listed the major | | | | 4. Massage. Massage has been used to treat |
| criteria that they use to determine the suitability | | | | lower back pain. It also is effective for |
| of a complementary approach. | | | | fibromyalgia. People with chronic neck and low |
| They are: | | | | back problems definitely find this to be helpful. |
| •Safety. This is vitally important because if | | | | 5. Meditation. Breathing techniques coupled with |
| this therapy does no harm it is generally worth | | | | the use of a word, called a mantra, which is |
| trying. While it may not be effective, there is no | | | | chanted during the breathing has a beneficial |
| harm in trying it. | | | | effect on anxiety and stress. |
| •Fills a void. Conventional medicines | | | | 6. Music therapy. This is a very commonly used |
| sometimes don’t address key issues of | | | | therapy. Listening to Baroque or other types of |
| importance. An example is stress. The traditional | | | | classical music has a calming influence and has |
| approach has been to use mood stabilizers or | | | | been used to treat patients suffering from a |
| other similar drugs. These drugs have undesirable | | | | variety of chronic illnesses. |
| side effects in many instances. That makes the | | | | 7. Spinal manipulation. This therapy is performed |
| institution of complementary approaches such as | | | | by chiropractors, osteopaths and physical |
| meditation, yoga, guided imagery, yoga, and | | | | therapists. Mayo writes, "Spinal manipulation is an |
| t’ai chi more attractive. | | | | accepted medical practice for low back pain, but |
| •Standardization. This is a biggie because | | | | the evidence supporting its use for other medical |
| there is very little regulation of the nutritional | | | | problems has been somewhat conflicting." |
| supplement industry. What is on the label is not | | | | The UCLA School of Public Health did a study that |
| necessarily what you get. The best defense is to | | | | found chiropractic care as useful as traditional |
| either buy from a reputable company (and even | | | | medical care (including the use of painkilling drugs), |
| this isn’t a guarantee!) or ask a | | | | in relieving discomfort. Other studies have |
| knowledgeable physician. | | | | demonstrated that chiropractic is particularly useful |
| •Does it help people other than the | | | | for acute painful low back conditions. (A note of |
| patient? People who are constantly around the | | | | caution: patients with osteoporosis should exercise |
| patient, eg relatives and friends can also benefit | | | | care before undergoing spinal manipulation). |
| from certain complementary therapies. An | | | | For sure, though, the disdain that used to be |
| example is music therapy… although if the | | | | shown by traditional medicine for chiropractic no |
| patient is an aficionado of rap and his father is | | | | longer should exist. |
| not, this may not necessarily work! | | | | 8. Spirituality. While belief in a higher being is |
| So what are some of the complementary | | | | almost universal, the use of prayer as a therapy |
| approaches that seem to work for arthritis? | | | | has only recently been accepted by traditional |
| Let’s start with nutritional supplements | | | | medicine. In a number of studies, researchers |
| and herbs. A new term for the use of | | | | have demonstrated not only beneficial clinical |
| supplements is to refer to them as | | | | responses but have also, in some instances, |
| “nutriceuticals.” | | | | shown actual changes in cellular immune function |
| Glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin have been | | | | as a result of prayer. In a least one study, |
| shown to be effective for osteoarthritis in a | | | | rheumatoid arthritis symptoms improved |
| number of clinical trials. While there have also been | | | | significantly with prayer. |
| some negative studies as well, the preponderance | | | | 9. Tai chi. This is a gentle exercise that has its |
| of proof still favors efficacy. | | | | roots in ancient Chinese tradition. It involves a |
| Omega-3 fish oil has also been demonstrated to | | | | series of postures and movements performed |
| have a salutary effect in rheumatoid arthritis. | | | | slowly and gracefully. It is recommended to |
| SamE and MSM are supplements with some good | | | | improve balance in older people to prevent their |
| data. Other herbal products that have shown | | | | falling. A study conducted in the Netherlands found |
| some anti-inflammatory effects include flaxseed | | | | those who practiced tai chi had 50 percent fewer |
| oil, boswellia, black currant oil, bromelain, turmeric | | | | falls and fewer injury-causing falls than those who |
| (curcumin), borage oil, vitamins C, E, A, D, trace | | | | did not. |
| minerals (selenium, boron, calcium,copper), | | | | 10. Yoga. This discipline incorporates stretching and |
| Coenzyme Q10, plant-based compounds (lutein, | | | | breathing exercises. Originally, an Indian discipline, it |
| Cat’s claw, capsaicin, quercitin, acidophilis, | | | | has been found to be effective for relief of |
| green tea, grape seed, gotu, bilberry, garlic, | | | | stress, lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, |
| Phellodendron Amurense, Phytodolor , stinging | | | | and osteoarthritis. |
| nettle, thundergod vine, willow bark). | | | | There are some glaring omissions in the Mayo list. |
| The Mayo Clinic’s picks for the ten best | | | | I have already discussed nutritional supplements |
| are: | | | | above. Another omission is ultra high frequency |
| 1. Acupuncture. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese | | | | electrical stimulation. This modality is actually a |
| medical treatment. The theory is that life force, | | | | mainstream therapy that uses high frequency |
| chi, travels along well-defined channels called | | | | electrical impulses to depolarize nerve fibers and |
| meridians. Placing acupuncture needles at specific | | | | induce muscle relaxation. This is very useful for |
| spots can alter energy flow. Mayo Clinic opines... | | | | chronic neck and low back pain. |
| "acupuncture can ...relieve many types of pain, | | | | Another modality that is gaining more appreciation |
| including that from osteoarthritis, low back pain, | | | | for its effectiveness in chronic pain is low level |
| neck pain...” One large German study of | | | | laser. |