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

Archive for the 'Relaxation' Category

Benefits of therapeutic music during radiotherapy

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

Therapeutic music is music with integrated RHS frequency of 60 beats/min.

During the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, researchers from Germany studied whether therapeutic music might lead to more correct positioning and the need for fewer verification films. (more…)

Limits of CAM: Dyspnea in patients with COPD

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011

Dyspnea (difficulty breathing) is a cardinal symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Its severity and magnitude increase as the disease progresses, leading to significant disability and a negative effect on quality of life.

Here are the Canadian Thoracic Society clinical practice guidelines, with emphasis on CAM. (more…)

Exercise to prevent migraine

Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, in Sweden, compared the effects of exercise and topiramate (Topamax) in migraine prevention. (more…)

Plan to treat fibromyalgia pain in advance

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

MayoClinic.com tells us, “When fibromyalgia pain or fatigue is severe, you might not be thinking clearly… Having a plan to follow gives you a sense of control over your signs and symptoms.” (more…)

Are psychological treatments effective for fibromyalgia pain?

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

fibromyalgiaSome are effective, some are promising, according to researchers from the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill. (more…)

Lowering blood pressure with music-guided slow breathing

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

Bradypnea (slow breathing) was studied by researchers at the University of Florence, in Italy. (more…)

CAM in the US: Patterns of use

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

I’ve largely ignored these studies in the past, but perhaps it’s worth a second look.

To start, this 1993 study by Dr. David Eisenberg, who is now the director of Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies at Harvard University, is considered a landmark in the field of “unconventional medicine.” (more…)

Review: Biofeedback for headache

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Dr. Frank Andrasik (photo) at the University of West Florida, in Pensacola has reviewed the evidence for each category of biofeedback.

Here’s what we know about preventive or acute therapy for migraine. (more…)

Review: CAM to treat menopausal vasomotor symptoms

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota, reviewed allopathic and CAM options.

Let’s focus on CAM. (more…)

Relaxation and prayer among people with asthma

Friday, April 15th, 2011

During the National Conference in Pediatric Psychology, researchers at the University of Cincinnati reported that urban adolescents with asthma might experience worse outcomes when not using spiritual coping. (more…)

Treatment options for insomnia in children and adults

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

Chronic insomnia affects nearly 16% of adults and up to 25% of children.

If you’re in this group, researchers from the University of North Texas list non-drug treatment options that will prepare you for your doctor’s visit. (more…)

Using the Internet to manage headache in children

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

The benefits of 2 self-help training programs (multimodal cognitive-behavioral training [CBT] and applied relaxation [AR]) presented via the Internet were compared by researchers from the University of Göttingen, in Germany. (more…)

Review: Mind-body treatments for insomnia

Monday, February 21st, 2011

Researchers at Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, in Brazil, reviewed the evidence. (more…)

Cognitive behavioral therapy for ADHD

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, tested cognitive behavioral therapy in adults who were also treated with drugs but still experiencing significant symptoms. (more…)

Review: Mind body therapies for menopausal symptoms

Monday, January 17th, 2011

Researchers from the University of Virginia Health System, in Charlottesville reviewed yoga and/or meditation-based programs, tai chi, and other relaxation practices, including muscle relaxation and breath-based techniques, relaxation response training, and low-frequency sound-wave therapy. (more…)

Use of CAM in patients with head and neck cancer

Sunday, November 7th, 2010

Researchers at the National University of Singapore surveyed the use of CAM in residents of Singapore who had head and neck cancer.

Here are their findings compared to other countries where similar studies have been conducted. (more…)

Survey of American medical students about CAM

Saturday, September 18th, 2010

Researchers from several US medical schools surveyed the students. (more…)

Relaxation therapy to manage hot flushes

Thursday, September 9th, 2010

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

CAM for children undergoing stem cell transplants

Saturday, July 17th, 2010

Researchers in the US and Canada evaluated massage, humor therapy, and relaxation/imagery for reducing distress associated with pediatric stem cell transplantation. (more…)

Benefits of yoga for lowering blood pressure in cardiac-rehab pateints

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

Just don’t call it yoga!

Klinik Roderbirken der Deutschen Rentenversicherung, in Germany reported their findings during the EuroPREVENT 2010 meeting. (more…)