The Nursing clinics of North America
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Nurs. Clin. North Am. · Sep 2003
ReviewComplementary and alternative therapies: what is their place in the management of chronic pain?
Nurses have used complementary therapies for many years to relieve anxiety, promote comfort, and reduce or alleviate pain. The therapies described in this article are examples of the many therapies available for nurses to consider when planning care for patients with chronic pain. The increasing body of scientific knowledge is providing more guidance about the efficacy of specific therapies. ⋯ Evaluating the effectiveness of the complementary therapy to promote comfort in patients with chronic pain is essential. Obtaining this information is not only critical to the care of a particular patient, but these data will assist nurses in learning more about specific therapies. Most importantly, nurses need to pursue research to further the scientific basis for many of the complementary therapies.