This survey explored the beliefs and practices of family medicine physicians regarding the use of nonconventional treatment for menopausal symptom management. Continue reading No surprise: Healthcare providers recommend the CAM they know
Category Archives: Acupuncture/ pressure
Acupuncture not effective in lowering blood pressure
About 2 years ago, there was news that acupuncture lowered blood pressure in rats. I usually avoid reporting animal studies. It’s along way from the lab to the clinic.
Here’s a case in point.
Continue reading Acupuncture not effective in lowering blood pressure
P6 acupressure for nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients
This study used Pericardium 6 (Neiguan) acupoint (photo) to reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
It raises as many questions as it attempts to answer.
Continue reading P6 acupressure for nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients
Acupuncture for women with substance use, anxiety, and depression
I originally emphasized the substance (smoking) use aspect of this study, but have edited this summary based on a reader’s comment shown below. Continue reading Acupuncture for women with substance use, anxiety, and depression
Acupuncture for chronic knee pain
It’s better than sham acupuncture or no additional treatment. Continue reading Acupuncture for chronic knee pain
Complementary therapies for cancer-related fatigue
Reviewers from the Mayo Clinic are not ready to support any single CAM option, but some warrant further study, in their opinion. Continue reading Complementary therapies for cancer-related fatigue
CAM options for symptom management in children with cancer
Ms. Jennifer Rheingans is a nurse educator for pediatrics at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Florida. In the Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing she reviews nonpharmacological therapies as a potential source of assistance for children with symptoms due to cancer treatment.
Symptoms and CAM options are listed below. Continue reading CAM options for symptom management in children with cancer
CAM options for acute low back pain
Dr. Scott Kinkade from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas has reviewed all the options in American Family Physician.
Here’s a summary of his conclusions as they relate to CAM. Continue reading CAM options for acute low back pain
Acupuncture during lithotripsy
Lithotripsy is a medical procedure that uses shock waves to break up stones that form in the kidney, bladder, ureters, or gallbladder.
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine studied if the combination of auricular and body acupuncture might reduce the need for sedation during lithotripsy. Continue reading Acupuncture during lithotripsy
The rationale for yoga for weight reduction
A telephone survey of more than 11,000 people revealed that about 3% had used CAM in the past 12 months for the purpose of losing weight.
Here are the most common CAM therapies. Continue reading The rationale for yoga for weight reduction
Looking for common ground between CAM and mainstream medicine
The purpose of this survey was to develop suggestions for actions that might foster closer communication between mainstream (MM) and CAM practitioners. Continue reading Looking for common ground between CAM and mainstream medicine
Update: Acupuncture and in vitro fertilization
Here are highlights from the 2006 conference of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in New Orleans.
Writing in Medscape, Dr. Peter Kovacs from the Kaali Institute IVF Center in Budapest and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York says, “Increasing numbers of patients ask about and/or turn to alternative medical solutions when traditional medicine fails.”
With respect to 2 studies of acupuncture?
Continue reading Update: Acupuncture and in vitro fertilization
Guidelines to prevent nausea and vomiting include acupuncture
Updated guidelines for managing post-operative nausea and vomiting announced during the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists include using acupuncture.
Here’s some supporting data.
Continue reading Guidelines to prevent nausea and vomiting include acupuncture
Trying to evaluate acupuncture to treat vascular dementia
Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. The condition is preventable. Therefore, early detection and implementation of effective treatment are important.
In order to assess the effect of acupuncture on this condition, a broad search for randomized, placebo-controlled studies testing acupuncture to treat vascular dementia was undertaken. Continue reading Trying to evaluate acupuncture to treat vascular dementia
Attitudes of pharmacy faculty and students toward CAM
Overall, they are positive, at least at the University of Minnesota. Continue reading Attitudes of pharmacy faculty and students toward CAM
FDA has ruled against Tigan: Now, what to do for nausea and vomiting?
Companies must stop manufacturing and distributing trimethobenzamide hydrochloride (Tigan, Tebamide, T-Gen, Trimazide, and Trimethobenz) suppositories.
It’s a good time to review CAM options for nausea and vomiting. Continue reading FDA has ruled against Tigan: Now, what to do for nausea and vomiting?
Considering CAM with other options to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting
Dr. Sheila Wilhelm and two colleagues at the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Detroit have published a review in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy on preventing nausea and vomiting following surgery (ie, postoperative nausea and vomiting; PONY).
It’s nice to see CAM options considered along with pharmacological options. Continue reading Considering CAM with other options to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting
Two surveys of CAM use in people with health care problems
Specifically, we’re talking about women with lung cancer and people with diabetes.
First, women with lung cancer.
Continue reading Two surveys of CAM use in people with health care problems
Acupuncture: Complementary or alternative blood pressure therapy?
When Tufts|ebcam reviewed this topic, they concluded, “while the results of some RCT [randomized clinical trials] and case series suggest some benefits of acupuncture for managing hypertension, the results must be treated with caution because of serious methodological limitations.”
To address these shortcomings the NIH funded a rigorously designed study titled “Stop Hypertension with the Acupuncture Research Program” (SHARP).
Continue reading Acupuncture: Complementary or alternative blood pressure therapy?
More evidence of interest in CAM among medical students
In this survey, most medical students expressed an interest in learning more about CAM in order to make informed recommendations to their patients.
Continue reading More evidence of interest in CAM among medical students