Concern over bleeding due to changes in platelet function has led to prohibiting omega-3 supplements before surgery.
Researchers at the Hospital for Special Surgery, in New York City, reviewed the records of spinal surgery patients in order to determine the risk of bleeding. Continue reading Fish oil and the risk of bleeding following surgery
Tardive dyskinesia is a disorder that involves involuntary movements, especially of the lower face.
Researchers at Peking University, in Beijing, China studied the value of EGb-761, a standardized extract given in capsule form, in patients with schizophrenia. Continue reading Treating tardive dyskinesia with Ginkgo biloba
68% of parents of these patients seek help from alternative practitioners, including chiropractors, according to researchers at Macquarie University, in Sydney, Australia.
Their review evaluates the evidence for chiropractic care to reduce inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity for young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Continue reading Review: Chiropractic for children and adolescents with ADHD
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. Continue reading Using the Internet to manage headache in children
Researchers at the University at Albany, State University of New York report the prevalence of addiction to indoor tanning among college students and its association with substance use and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Continue reading Tanorexic: Signs and symptoms of addiction to indoor tanning
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota, studied role of massage therapy following surgery. Continue reading Massage after heart surgery
Cough helps remove material that cannot be adequately removed by normal physiological processes.
Researchers from the University of Florida, in Gainesville studied the value of expiratory muscle strength training in men with Parkinson’s disease. Continue reading Benefits of cough training for Parkinson’s disease
Sucrose has pain relieving and calming effects in newborns. But do these beneficial effects extend to care-giving procedures performed after painful procedures?
Researchers at the University of Toronto in Ontario report their findings, with an update for 2011. Continue reading Using sucrose to control pain in newborns
Researchers in Spain and Sweden measured the response to the effects of 4 month of tai chi in men with fibromyalgia. Continue reading Fibromyalgia after 4 months of tai chi
Researchers at the University of Birmingham, in the UK, investigated the prevalence of herbal medicine use among cancer patients in the West Midlands — a metropolitan county in western central England. Continue reading Use of CAM by people with cancer
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. Continue reading The risk of contact allergy to essential oils
Patients with asthma experience a variable response to inhaled corticosteroids.
Researchers from National Jewish Health, in Denver, Colorado studied the effect of vitamin D levels on this response. Continue reading Vitamin D improves the response to steriods in asthmatics
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have written a succinct review.
Let’s cut to the chase. Continue reading The bottom line on calcium supplements
Some breast cancer patients reject standard treatment, but data on outcomes for those choosing CAM as primary treatment are lacking.
Researchers at the Legacy Health System, Cancer Services, in Portland, Oregon, estimated 10-year survival statistics. Continue reading Survival with alternative therapy for breast cancer
The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment, in Evanston, Illinois has reported its survival data in patients who received a comprehensive clinical program combining conventional treatments with nutrition and supplementation, fitness, and mind-spirit instruction. Continue reading Benefits of integrative care for advanced breast cancer
Lifestyle changes may reduce cardiovascular risk and the risk of diabetes mellitus.
Researchers at Umea University in Sweden studied the long term cost-effectiveness of a lifestyle educational program. Continue reading Cost-effectiveness of lifestyle changes in diabetes patients
Uremic pruritus is characterized by continuous scratching, with lesions and superimposed infections. It’s a frustrating, common, and potentially disabling complication in patients treated with kidney dialysis.
Prof. Ernst reviewed the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating uremic pruritus in patients with end-stage renal disease. Continue reading Review: Acupuncture to control itch in dialysis patients
Dr. Xiu-Min Lee (photo) is Director of Mount Sinai’s Center for Chinese Herbal Therapy for Allergy and Asthma, in New York.
She has reviewed the evidence and believes that traditional Chinese medicine can help treat food allergies and asthma. Continue reading CAM for pediatric allergic disorders
Coffee consumption has been inconsistently associated with stroke incidence and mortality.
Researchers in Sweden and Finland investigated the association between coffee consumption and stroke incidence in women. Continue reading Latest report on coffee and the risk of stroke
Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a treatment where a patient stands on a platform that oscillates at a particular frequency and amplitude, causing muscle contractions through stimulation of sensory receptors.
These devices are available over the Internet and generally viewed as a fad.
Researchers at the University of Extremadura, in Caceres, Spain, studied the effects of WBV on dynamic balance (balance while moving) in women with fibromyalgia. Continue reading Improving balance in fibromyalgia using whole-body vibration