Complementary therapies in clinical practice
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · Aug 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparing the effects of ice massage and acupressure on labor pain reduction.
Childbirth is arguably one of the most painful experiences women undergo during their lives. This study aimed to compare the effects of ice massage, acupressure and placebo in reducing the intensity of labor pain in pregnant women from selected hospitals in Tehran, Iran. ⋯ Ice massage and acupressure techniques reduced pain during labor. However, ice massage provided more persistent pain relief. Due to high levels of pain intensity and increased pain experienced by the women during the active phase of labor, it is suggested that repeating these techniques during the first stage of labor could be an effective, accessible, cost-effective and non-invasive technique to help reduce the intensity of labor pain.
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · May 2012
Availability of complementary and alternative medicine for people with cancer in the British National Health Service: results of a national survey.
This study assessed access to Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies for people with cancer within the British National Health Service. CAM units were identified through an internet search in 2009. A total of 142 units, providing 62 different therapies, were identified: 105 (74.0%) England; 23 (16.2%) Scotland; 7 (4.9%) each in Wales and Northern Ireland. ⋯ Counselling is the most widely provided therapy (available at 82.4% of identified units), followed by reflexology (62.0%), aromatherapy (59.1%), reiki (43.0%), massage (42.2%). CAM units per million of the population varied between countries (England: 2.2; Wales: 2.3; Scotland: 4.8; Northern Ireland: 5.0), and within countries. Better publicity for CAM units, greater integration of units in conventional cancer treatment centres may help improve access to CAMs.
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · Feb 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialEpisiotomy pain relief: Use of Lavender oil essence in primiparous Iranian women.
Post-episiotomy discomfort and its consequences can affect maternal quality of life and mental health as well as the mother and baby relationship. Complementary medicine is increasingly used and Lavender oil is frequently prescribed due to its antiseptic and healing properties. ⋯ According to these findings, use of Lavender oil essence can be effective in reducing perineal discomfort following episiotomy. It is suggested that Lavender oil essence may be preferably to the use of Betadine for episiotomy wound care.
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · Nov 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialHand pain is reduced by massage therapy.
Forty-six adults with hand pain were randomly assigned to a massage therapy or a standard treatment control group. Those assigned to the massage therapy group were massaged by a therapist on the affected hand once a week for a 4-week period and were also taught self-massage on the hand that was to be done by the individual participant once daily. ⋯ The massage therapy group versus the control group had less pain and greater grip strength after the first and last sessions, and their anxiety and depressed mood scores decreased more than the control group. Over the four-week period the massage group had a greater decrease in pain and a greater increase in grip strength as well as lower scores on anxiety, depressed mood and sleep disturbance scales.
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · Aug 2011
Clinical TrialEffects of thermal therapy combining sauna therapy and underwater exercise in patients with fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic disorder that is characterized by widespread pain with localized tenderness. We aimed to investigate whether thermal therapy combining sauna therapy and underwater exercise improved pain, symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) in FMS patients. Forty-four female FMS patients who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria received 12-week thermal therapy program comprising sauna therapy once daily for 3 days/week and underwater exercise once daily for 2 days/week. ⋯ All of the patients reported significant reductions in pain and symptoms of 31-77% after the 12-week thermal therapy program, which remained relatively stable (28-68%) during the 6-month follow-up period (that is, the thermal therapy program improved both the short-term and the long-term VAS and FIQ scores). Improvements were also observed in the SF-36 score. Thermal therapy combining sauna therapy and underwater exercise improved the QOL as well as the pain and symptoms of FMS patients.