Folklore remedies for pain and inflammation support these bracelets to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers at The University of York, in the UK studied their effects. (more…)

Aside from surgery, splinting, exercises, and other alternative therapies have been used.

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University reviewed the evidence. (more…)

In this Cochrane review, researchers in Australia and the UK evaluated the evidence for directly altering brain activity with electrical stimulation to reduce chronic pain. (more…)

In this Cochrane review, researchers at the University of Malaya, in Kuala Lumpur, reviewed this common, chronic, recurring condition, which has a prevalence in the UK of 1.5 to 3 per 1000 and is estimated to cost the NHS £400m ($720m; €600m) a year. (more…)

The Cochrane Library has reviewed allopathic and CAM nonhormonal options. (more…)

Researchers at the University Medical Centre Utrecht and De Hoogstraat, in The Netherlands surveyed the use of CAM in a large group of Dutch patients with spinal cord injury. (more…)

The Mayo Clinic Health Letter makes the connection between static magnets and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

You’ll have to subscribe to read the whole article, but it’s interesting that Mayo places both treatments in the same category. (more…)

Prof. Ernst has reviewed the evidence. (more…)

People tend to buy them when they’re in a lot of pain. Then, when the pain eases over time they attribute the change to the device.

But researchers from the University of York, in the UK report they are “generally ineffective for managing pain, stiffness, and physical function in osteoarthritis.” (more…)

Researchers from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto reviewed the evidence for complementary therapies. (more…)

The National Center for CAM (NCCAM) has summarized the state of the science. (more…)

One exception might be osteoarthritis. (more…)

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was effective and safe in this study from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. (more…)

It might be an option for people with major depression who have not responded to conventional antidepressant medications. (more…)

My thought about this study is that considering the academic and research “pedigree” of the authors (ie, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine [NCCAM], National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research, and Columbia University), why did they settle for such a rudimentary study design?

When you get to the end of this post, consider if this study advanced the state of our knowledge on this topic. (more…)

And how they compare to the fentanyl (Duragesic) patch. (more…)

Overall, they are positive, at least at the University of Minnesota. (more…)

I was surprised to learn of the popularity of homeopathy among today’s luminaries.

Here’s a list.

(more…)

The Centers for Disease Control has just published the latest data on the prevalence of diabetes in the US.

• 11% of adults aged 40 to 59 years
• 23% of those 60 and older have diabetes

Is it any wonder that so many CAM therapies are studied in people with diabetes?

A quick listing of CAM entries for diabetes on this blog is provided below. Or, click the button on the right sidebar to see all of the diabetes entries.

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I love the studies on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). It’s magnet therapy for the 21st century — sort of.

Here’s why the results of this latest study are important.

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