The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

Archive for the 'B. MANIPULATIVE METHODS' Category

Hospitalization rate based on changes in physical activity in people with COPD

Wednesday, March 12th, 2014

asthma-150x150Emphasis in this study by researchers in Spain was on walking, the most common form of physical activity. (more…)

TENS device FDA-approved for migraine prevention

Wednesday, March 12th, 2014

CEFALY_2_HR_sans les mainsIt’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…)

Trade-offs: Comparing supplements vs. exercise

Saturday, January 4th, 2014

little-guy2Drs. Andrew Mendelsohn and James Larrick at the Panorama Research Institute and Regenerative Sciences Institute, in Sunnyvale, California, have complied an impressive list of reviews on the effects of exercise. Here’s the first in a series of summaries of their recent publications.

(more…)

TENS to reduce pain intensity in patients with tennis elbow

Wednesday, September 4th, 2013

tennis_elbow50People with “tennis elbow” (lateral epicondylitis) experience pain over the outer side of the elbow, which may extend down the forearm.

Researchers at Keele University, in Staffordshire, UK, studied the response to TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) added to typical treatment. (more…)

Risk of harm following usual chiropractic care

Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013

Chiropractic1-150x150According to a 2007 study by Canadian researchers, “Serious adverse events may be associated with pediatric spinal manipulation,” but “neither causation nor incidence rates can be inferred manipulation.”

Now, researchers at the University of Melbourne, in Australia, have taken a closer look at the frequency and severity of adverse effects from short-term usual chiropractic treatment. (more…)

Hopelessness and the value of CAM in ovarian cancer

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

ovarian-cancer-wristbands_normalIt’s reported that 55% of patients with ovarian cancer acknowledge a fear of dying, and 32% experience loss of hope in their fight against this illness.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School, in Boston, examined CAM and its influence on hopelessness in these patients. (more…)

Review: Benefits of CAM to help treat hypertension

Thursday, April 25th, 2013

HeartBeatingThe American Heart Association has summarized the blood pressure-lowering effects of several alternative approaches and provided recommendations for their use.

Here’s what we know in people with blood pressure (BP) levels higher than 120/80 mmHg. (more…)

Here’s what we know about vitamin C and the common cold

Thursday, February 14th, 2013

150px-Ascorbic_acid_structureVitamin C (ascorbic acid) for preventing and treating the common cold has been a subject of controversy for 70 years.

Now, The Cochrane Library has reviewed the data. (more…)

Advantages of adding exercise to statin treatment

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

beating_heartStatins are prescribed to treat high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. Increased fitness is recommended as an essential part of promoting health.

Now, researchers at Georgetown University School of Medicine, in Washington DC, report the combined effects of fitness and statin treatment on mortality. (more…)

Results of nonpharmacological approaches to treating pain

Tuesday, January 1st, 2013

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

Risk of injury to children who use trampolines

Tuesday, September 25th, 2012

Trampoline jumping is a beneficial and constructive physical exercise for children, but it has a significant risk for injuries.

Now, after reviewing the evidence, the American Academy of Pediatrics is discouraging recreational use of trampolines in the home. (more…)

Reducing the rate and risk of falling

Saturday, September 15th, 2012

Approximately 30% of people over 65 years of age living in the community fall each year.

This Cochrane review updates what we know. (more…)

Consumer Alert: Neti Pots

Monday, August 27th, 2012

They’re used to rinse the nasal passages with a saline (salt-based) solution, and are popular to treat congested sinuses, colds, and allergies, and to moisten nasal passages exposed to dry indoor air.

But, FDA has concerns about the risk of infection when neti pots are used improperly. (more…)

Contributions of the counselor in diabetes lifestyle education

Thursday, August 16th, 2012

Researchers in the Netherlands have reported their findings in the Active Prevention in High-Risk Individuals of Diabetes Type 2 in and Around Eindhoven (APHRODITE) study. (more…)

Kinesiology tape

Saturday, August 11th, 2012

During the Olympics, you may have noticed brightly colored kinesiology (aka Kinesin) tape attached to the legs, backs, arms and other body parts of athletes.

It’s meant to help stabilize tendons and joints and provide pressure relief. Researchers at the National Defense Academy, in Japan, studied its potential to alleviate muscle weakness. (more…)

SIT and the co-disciplinary pain clinic

Thursday, August 9th, 2012

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

Adverse response to exercise

Friday, June 1st, 2012

Dr. Claude Bouchard and colleagues from around the US and Finland tell us that people differ in their response to regular exercise.

Sometimes these differences contribute to adverse changes in cardiovascular and diabetes risk factors, according to this study. (more…)

Consumer Alert: “Bath Salts”

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

Unlike traditional cosmetic bath salts, which are packaged and sold for adding to bath water for soaking and cleaning, drugs sold as “bath salts” have no legitimate use for bathing and are intended for substance abuse.

Confused? (more…)

CAM use in the Manitoba IBD Cohort Study

Monday, February 27th, 2012

Researchers in Winnipeg, Manitoba surveyed the prevalence of CAM use in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. (more…)

Support for exercise to preserve cognitive function

Monday, February 27th, 2012

Researchers at the Foundation of Public Health, Mutuelle Generale de l’Education Nationale, in Paris, reanalyzed data from the Women’s Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study (WACS), a cohort of women with prevalent vascular disease or 3 cardiovascular risk factors. (more…)