The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Relaxation training for anxiety

    It’s an increasingly common treatment for anxiety problems.

    Researchers from San Giuseppe Hospital in Erbania, Italy have reviewed the evidence.

    First, the details.

    • 27 studies published between 1997 and 2007 qualified for the inclusion in this reanalysis (meta-analysis).
    • 1005 patients were randomly assigned to relaxation training or a control/comparison group.

    And, the results.

    • Relaxation training was consistently and significantly effective in reducing anxiety compared to no treatment.
    • While all relaxation trainings reduced anxiety, applied relaxation, progressive relaxation (both discussed here), and meditation showed greater effect.
    • Both psychological and psychosomatic patients and volunteers gain more benefits from relaxation training vs medical patients, although it was still effective in the latter group.

    The bottom line?
    The authors concluded “While all relaxation trainings reduced anxiety, applied relaxation, progressive relaxation and meditation showed greater effect.”

    6/8/08 15:51 JR

    Leave a Comment

    You must be logged in to post a comment.