The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Archive for the 'Balneotherapy' Category

    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…)

    Effects of balneotherapy on quality of life in osteoarthritis

    Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

    Researchers at the University of Siena, in Italy, evaluated whether balneotherapy (treatment of disease by baths) with mineral sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium water might achieve symptomatic improvement, and improve quality of life of patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. (more…)

    The risk of contact allergy to essential oils

    Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

    They’re used in perfumes and in products for aromatherapy or balneotherapy. Previous studies have shown some to be important contact sensitizers.

    Researchers at the University of Erlangen/Nürnberg, in Germany, reviewed the records of more than 15,000 patients in order to estimate the risk. (more…)

    Balneotherapy for fibromyalgia

    Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

    Researchers at the Istanbul Medical Faculty, in Turkey, studied the effects of balneotherapy alone and with physical therapies on the respiratory and other symptoms of fibromyalgia. (more…)

    Balneotherapy: 2 reviews of the evidence

    Friday, October 29th, 2010

    This review of balneotherapy comes from the Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS), in Athens, Greece. (more…)

    Benefits of spa treatment in people with fibromyalgia

    Thursday, January 8th, 2009

    Researchers in The Netherlands report temporary improvement in quality of life. (more…)

    Chiropractic management of fibromyalgia

    Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

    Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania reviewed the evidence for chiropractic… and more. (more…)

    Spa therapy: Does it matter how long you stay?

    Monday, January 5th, 2009

    Researchers at the University of Tartu in Estonia studied the duration of spa therapy on the management of osteoarthritis. (more…)

    Recommended CAM for chronic pain

    Friday, August 8th, 2008

     Here are some CAM highlights for migraine and fibromyalgia from the American Academy of Pain Management (AAPM) 19th Annual Clinical Meeting. (more…)

    Balneotherapy for patients with arthritis

    Friday, September 22nd, 2006

    The aims of balneotherapy (treatment of disease by bathing) are to soothe the pain, improve joint motion, and as a consequence, relieve people’s suffering and make them feel well.

    Although most studies report positive outcomes, the trials are so poorly designed that “positive findings” should be viewed with caution, according to the Cochrane Collaboration, which included studies up to 2002.

    What’s happened since?

    (more…)