Complementary therapies in medicine
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Complement Ther Med · Apr 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of lavender inhalation on the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea and the amount of menstrual bleeding: A randomized clinical trial.
The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) inhalation on the symptoms of dysmenorrhea and the amount of menstrual bleeding in female students with primary dysmenorrhea. ⋯ This study showed that lavender inhalation was effective in alleviating dysmenorrhea symptoms, suggesting that it could be applied by midwives in a safe manner because of no side effects, simplicity and cost-effectiveness for all patients.
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Complement Ther Med · Apr 2014
Using the theory of planned behavior to explore attitudes and beliefs about dietary supplements among HIV-positive Black women.
This cross-sectional study investigated whether the theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs: attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were related to intention of dietary supplements use among African-American women living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and/or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). ⋯ Results showed that attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control are important predictors in the intention to use dietary supplements for control of HIV among African-American women. Implications from this study suggest that the TPB can be used to better identify and understand salient beliefs that surround intentions to use alternative therapies for management of disease. These beliefs can be used to develop interventions surrounding HIV treatment and care.
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Complement Ther Med · Feb 2014
Review Meta AnalysisHealth benefits of qigong or tai chi for cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analyses.
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Mind-body interventions are widely used by cancer patients to reduce symptoms and cope better with disease- and treatment-related symptoms. In the last decade, many clinical controlled trials of qigong/tai chi as a cancer treatment have emerged. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the effects of qigong/tai chi on the health-related outcomes of cancer patients. ⋯ This study found that qigong/tai chi had positive effects on the cancer-specific QOL, fatigue, immune function and cortisol level of cancer patients. However, these findings need to be interpreted cautiously due to the limited number of studies identified and high risk of bias in included trials. Further rigorous trials are needed to explore possible therapeutic effects of qigong/tai chi on cancer patients.
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Complement Ther Med · Feb 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialIs ginger effective for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome? A double blind randomized controlled pilot trial.
Ginger is one of the most commonly used herbal medicines for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but no data exists about its effectiveness. ⋯ This double blind randomized controlled pilot study suggests ginger is well tolerated but did not perform better than placebo. Larger trials are needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn.
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Complement Ther Med · Dec 2013
ReviewProbiotic bacteria in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Probiotics are live microorganisms, which as drugs or food supplements help to maintain health beneficial microbial balance in the digestive tract of a human or other host. Probiotics by their properties may help strengthen homeostasis and thus reduce side effects associated with cancer treatment. Experimental evidence suggests that probiotics might have beneficial effect on the toxicity of anticancer therapy. ⋯ Current evidence supporting probiotic use as adjunctive therapy to anticancer treatment is limited, especially in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Well designed clinical trials are needed to find true role of probiotics in oncology.