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AHPA - Complementary and Alternative Therapy - Vitamins, Supplements, Magnets, Oh My!
February 4 2015 9:32 PM ET — via RheumReports
There is so much to learn about Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapy it is hard to know what to recommend to our patients. Karine Toupin April provided a summary of the evidence in inflammatory arthritis.
Most of the natural foods such as avocado, soybeans, ginger, comfrey extract appear to offer some benefit in OA but the evidence is limited.
With respect to homeopathy or vitamins, the evidence is weak and there are contradictory findings. Interestingly, for most of the studies that had positive results it was not the homeopathic treatment itself but rather the consult as a whole that helped.
Psychological treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy may have an overall modest effect on pain in arthritis. Improvements have been reported for active pain coping, pain self-efficacy, anxiety, depression, and psychological disability.
The most frequently supported relaxation technique is progressive muscle relaxation but the evidence is not consistent.
With respect to physical treatments, acupuncture seems to be effective in combination with pharmacological treatment in OA. It claims to reduce pain, stiffness and physical disability but again the evidence is not consistent.
There was not enough evidence to support or refute chiropractic treatment. Massage therapy may possibly reduce levels of anxiety.
More research is needed on the use of medical marijuana for pain.
Overall, the conclusions include:
More research is needed in this area
The WHAT questionnaire may be useful to ask patients about their use of CAMs
Be aware of supplements that may interact with medications and medical procedures such as the three ″G′s″ Ginko biloba, Ginseng, and high levels of Omega-3s
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About the Author
Marlene Thompson
Marlene Thompson is an Associate Clinical Professor in Physical Therapy at Western University and an Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner in Arthritis Care. Marlene′s research interests include models of care, triage, advanced practice roles, and arthritis education.
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