Alternative therapies in health and medicine
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Altern Ther Health Med · Jul 2002
Complementary and alternative medical treatment of breast cancer: a survey of licensed North American naturopathic physicians.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is on the rise in the United States, especially for breast cancer patients. Many CAM therapies are delivered by licensed naturopathic physicians using individualized treatment plans. ⋯ Of those respondents screened, 497 (77%) had provided naturopathic care to women with breast cancer, and 402 (63%) had treated women with breast cancer in the previous 12 months. Naturopaths who were women were more likely than men to treat breast cancer (P < or = .004). Of the survey respondents, 104 (65%) practiced in the United States, and 57 (35%) practiced in Canada; 107 (66.5%) were women, and 54 (33.5%) were men. To develop naturopathic treatment plans, naturopathic physicians most often considered the stage of cancer, the patient's emotional constitution, and the conventional therapies used. To monitor patients clinically, 64% of the naturopathic physicians used diagnostic imaging, 57% considered the patient's quality of life, and 51% used physical examinations. The most common general CAM therapies used were dietary counseling (94%), botanical medicines (88%), antioxidants (84%), and supplemental nutrition (84%). The most common specific treatments were vitamin C (39%), coenzyme Q-10 (34%), and Hoxsey formula (29%).
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Altern Ther Health Med · May 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialMassage therapy for patients undergoing cardiac catheterization.
Anxiety and its pharmacological treatment can interfere with cardiac catheterization. Massage therapy has been used primarily in nonmedical settings for relaxation and stress reduction, and some research demonstrates its efficacy in medical environments. ⋯ The results of the study suggest that a 10-minute massage before an invasive cardiac procedure is insufficient to decrease stress measurably.
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Altern Ther Health Med · Jan 2002
Multicenter StudyIntegration and reimbursement of complementary and alternative medicine by managed care and insurance providers: 2000 update and cohort analysis.
To assess the status of managed care and insurance coverage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and the integration of such services into managed care. ⋯ Consumer demand for CAM is motivating more MCOs and insurance companies to assess the clinical and cost benefits of incorporating CAM. Outcomes studies for both conventional and CAM therapies are needed to help create a healthcare system based on treatments that work, whether they are conventional, complementary, alternative, or integrative medicine.