Complementary therapies in medicine
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Complement Ther Med · Dec 2010
Case ReportsAcupuncture as complementary therapy for hypoxic encephalopathy: a case study.
In acute carbon monoxide intoxication, more serious neuronal damage may induce hypoxic encephalopathy with variable degrees of brain damage, ranging from confusion to deep coma. We report herein on a patient who developed hypoxic encephalopathy and acute respiratory failure after acute carbon monoxide intoxication. Acupuncture therapy has been applied along with prescription medication to restore consciousness. ⋯ This case report suggests that there may be a role for complementary treatment with acupuncture in such cases, and it would be more definitive, meaningful and a welcome addition to our database of knowledge if more case studies about the possibility of acupuncture use in these circumstances were done.
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Complement Ther Med · Jun 2010
The use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients attending a UK headache clinic.
This study was undertaken in order to determine the extent of the use of CAM in a UK headache clinic. ⋯ As a matter of desperation, headache clinic patients try CAM therapies. Health care professionals involved in the management of headache should be aware of this. There is a need for evaluation of the benefits and safety of CAM therapies for headache.
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Complement Ther Med · Jun 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialEffectiveness of subcutaneous injections of a cartilage preparation in osteoarthritis of the knee--a randomized, placebo controlled phase II study.
Articulatio Genus D5 (AG5), a cartilage preparation, is widely used within anthroposophic medicine to treat osteoarthritis of the knee (OA). To evaluate its efficacy 91 OA patients were randomized to receive either AG5 (46) or placebo (45) following a fully sequential study design. For a period of 4 weeks AG5 or placebo were injected subcutaneously 3 times a week in the predominantly affected knee. Outcome parameters were the Western Ontario and Mc. Masters University Arthritis Index (WOMAC) scores and the use of concomitant pain medication during a follow up period of 2 months. ⋯ For the primary outcome parameter pain AG5 was not superior to placebo after 4 weeks of treatment but the equal reduction of pain in combination with higher reduction of pain medication suggests an effect of the preparation. The long term effect of AG5 on sparing pain medication should be further investigated.
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Complement Ther Med · Apr 2010
Integrative package for low back pain with leg pain in Korea: a prospective cohort study.
Back pain significantly affects both patients and society through personal suffering, supporting burden, work loss, and incurred expenses. With no unequivocal support for surgery versus conservative treatment, an integrative approach has become popular in Korea. ⋯ This integrative package was effective in the treatment of LBP with leg pain and warrants further rigorous investigations.
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Complement Ther Med · Feb 2010
Acupuncturists' perspectives on outcome measures to evaluate acupuncture care for chronic low back pain.
To examine Australian acupuncturists' perspectives of: chronic low back pain outcome domains; their use of outcome measures to assess chronic low back pain; and their attitudes and perceptions of barriers to using the existing measures to evaluate acupuncture care for chronic low back pain. ⋯ The findings of this study suggest that a broad range of outcome measures are required to adequately assess chronic low back pain acupuncture care outcomes. While numerous outcome measures have been developed that are relevant to chronic low back pain care, whether these measures are appropriate for use by acupuncturists is unclear. Further studies are warranted to explore if established outcome measures are useful to evaluate chronic low back acupuncture care.