St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) and S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAMe) top the list, according to this review from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania. Continue reading Another review of CAM options for bipolar disorder
Category Archives: Acupuncture/ pressure
No benefit from acupuncture for allergic rhinitis
Maybe if we do a bigger, better, study… Continue reading No benefit from acupuncture for allergic rhinitis
Acupuncture in women after breast cancer surgery
“Acupuncture reduced by half the hot flushes caused by tamoxifen in 59 breast cancer patients after surgery,” according to this study presented at the European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC) in Berlin. Continue reading Acupuncture in women after breast cancer surgery
Rantings from a burned out resident
Panda Bear is a blog maintained by an emergency department resident physician. His views on CAM make Dr. Wallace Sampson seem like a believer.
Caution: You are about to enter a stomach-wrenching zone. Continue reading Rantings from a burned out resident
More US hospitals offering CAM
A survey of more than 6000 US hospitals by the American Hospital Association reveals that among 1400 responders, the percentage of hospitals offering at least one CAM service increased from 8% in 1998 to 27% in 2005. Continue reading More US hospitals offering CAM
The risk of infection following acupuncture
A few years ago I reviewed the safety of acupuncture and concluded that side effects due to acupuncture are uncommon events. This is still the general consensus. However, poor technique and negligence can place patients at risk of side effects that they had not counted on. Continue reading The risk of infection following acupuncture
Complementary treatments for breakthrough pain
Breakthrough pain is a worsening or flare of pain that occurs in patients whose pain is otherwise controlled.
Dr. Neal Slatkin, who is director for the Department of Supportive Care, Pain & Palliative Medicine at the City of Hope has reviewed the treatment options — including CAM. Continue reading Complementary treatments for breakthrough pain
An academic allopathic view of CAM options for arthritic pain
Dr. Eric Ruderman, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago has published a review on Medscape, with lots of space devoted to CAM: exercise, acupuncture, and nutritional supplements. Continue reading An academic allopathic view of CAM options for arthritic pain
Managing pelvic and back pain during pregnancy
There are lots of recommendations to prevent or treat this cause of back pain.
Here’s what the Cochrane Collaboration found.
Continue reading Managing pelvic and back pain during pregnancy
Effect of acupuncture on cycling performance
This small study “points” to some benefits. Continue reading Effect of acupuncture on cycling performance
Summarizing benefits of acupuncture
Dr. Paul White from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas has reviewed the medical literature and published a summary of the state of the art of acupuncture to manage pain. Continue reading Summarizing benefits of acupuncture
Improved quality of acupuncture studies
First published in 1966, CONSORT (CONsolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) is intended to improve the reporting of medical research. Authors use it as a checklist when they submit articles for publication. By standardizing the information that must appear in a research article, this should help assure that the studies are well designed and the results are useful to readers.
Has it helped improve acupuncture studies? Continue reading Improved quality of acupuncture studies
More on teaching CAM in medical schools
Medscape printed an article last year that was critical of CAM and any role it might have in the education of medical students. I summarized it here.
Now, a reasoned reply has been published. Continue reading More on teaching CAM in medical schools
Dolly Parton has back pain
It’s so bad that she canceled her concert tour.
Here’s the state-of-the-art (not including pharmacology and surgery) for treating lower back pain (LBP) from the North American Spine Society. Continue reading Dolly Parton has back pain
Best treatments for neck pain
The findings come from a report by the Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders, sanctioned by the United Nations and the World Health Organization.
Here’s a summary of their conclusions regarding noninvasive treatments. It’s based on a review of the medical literature. Continue reading Best treatments for neck pain
Acupuncture improves the rate of pregnancy
It also increases the likelihood of live births when used with embryo transfer in women undergoing in vitro fertilization, according to this latest review of the medical literature. Continue reading Acupuncture improves the rate of pregnancy
Acupuncture to reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms
Researchers at Wonkwang University in Iksan, South Korea report it’s not better than placebo.
But they’re still optimistic. Continue reading Acupuncture to reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms
Acupuncture vs water in injections to treat labor pains
“Women given sterile water injection have less pain during labor compared to women given acupuncture,” according to researchers at the University of Skövde in Sweden. Continue reading Acupuncture vs water in injections to treat labor pains
The value of CAM for pain relief during labor
Professor Michel Tournaire and Dr. Anne Theau-Yonneau have reviewed the literature.
Few publications report a statistically significant reduction in labor pain? Here’s what we know about pain relief and other outcomes. I’ll summarize the more familiar options. Continue reading The value of CAM for pain relief during labor
Acupuncture after spontaneous rupture of membranes at term of pregnancy
In an earlier entry the growing list of studies supporting the role of acupuncture in pregnancy clinics was summarized.
Now, there’s a study showing benefits of acupuncture for augmentation of labor after spontaneous rupture of membranes at term.
Continue reading Acupuncture after spontaneous rupture of membranes at term of pregnancy