Herbalists recommend more than a dozen herbal remedies for acne and scarring, according to a recent article.

Unfortunately, only 1 of these herbals is supported by the results of a study in patients. (more…)

Faculty members from Hamdard University in New Delhi, India have published a review on Medscape of treatment options for acne, with emphasis on herbal treatment options.

Here’s a summary of the herbal section. (more…)

Its claimed anti-pain and anti-inflammatory properties in homeopathic medicine have led to a number of studies in patients with acute pain.

Researchers at University of Witten/Herdecke, in Germany reviewed the evidence for using St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) for pain conditions in homeopathic dental practice. (more…)

Every year, heatstroke accounts for at least 240 deaths in the United States. In the United States, most people with heatstroke are elderly inner-city residents.

The current heatwave warrants this reposting. (more…)

It’s the first device approved to prevent migraine headaches, and the first transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device specifically authorized for use prior to the onset of pain.

Here’s what we know about Cefaly. (more…)

Cerebral palsy results from injury to or abnormal development of the brain, with various problems in movement, posture, and other behavioral functions.

Researchers at the Graduate School of Education and Ewha Music Rehabilitation Center, in Seoul, Korea, studied the effects of Therapeutic Instrument Music Performance (TIMP) for fine motor exercises in adults with cerebral palsy.

(more…)

Iron deficiency is the most widespread nutritional deficiency in the world.

Researchers form Boston and London reviewed the evidence. (more…)

Researchers at the Center for Integrative Medicine, at the University of Maryland, in Baltimore, reviewed the effects of acupuncture on pregnancy success rates when added to in vitro fertilization. (more…)

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea, reviewed the evidence for treatment.

And, researchers from the University of Manchester, in the UK reviewed the response to self-needling maintenance treatments. (more…)

Studies of acupuncture to treat chronic pain have largely failed to demonstrate an advantage of traditional acupuncture over sham acupuncture.

Researchers at the University of Michigan and Harvard Medical School studied whether the degree of enhanced sensitivity to experimental-pressure pain (hyperalgesia) may be a factor in determining whether a patient responds to sham acupuncture treatment. (more…)

Maintenance acupuncture is recommended following successful clinic-based acupuncture.

Researchers at the University of Manchester, UK, assessed the effectiveness of self-maintenance acupuncture in the management of cancer-related fatigue (CRF). (more…)

Researchers from the US, Germany, and China studied the proposed benefits.

The results offer an opportunity to compare acupuncture to other treatment options. (more…)

US News has an article on the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which is aimed at providing nutrients to help reduce blood pressure as well as other benefits. With DASH, the focus is on dietary patterns rather than single nutrients.

For those who think it might be worth the effort, Dr. Barry Materson from the University of Miami says what you can expect in lowered blood pressure. Several years ago another article reported how DASH compares to other treatment options for lowering blood pressure.

(more…)

Researchers at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, in Chicago evaluated the effectiveness of an inpatient integrative medicine consult service for pain management. (more…)

Although it’s widely used for chronic pain, there’s controversy as to its value.

Now, researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, in New York City, reviewed the evidence in 4 chronic pain conditions. (more…)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the overall prevalence of hypertension among US adults between 2003 and 2010 was 30%, or about 67 million people. About 36 million (54%) had uncontrolled hypertension.

Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, examined the prevalence of CAM use among older adults with and without diagnosed high blood pressure and the degree to which CAM is used specifically for the treatment of high blood pressure. (more…)

Clinicians in California described their clinical practice, which uses the simultaneous interview technique (SIT). (more…)

Two recent studies report marked differences in the use of homeopathy.

First, homeopathy in the US. (more…)

Fast Company reports that a new system links to a readout and shows how much electrical activity the needles are stimulating in a patient’s muscles. (more…)