October 25, 2023
Joe Brady
Pain is the most common reason for seeking medical care. It is also a common reason why people turn to complementary and integrative health approaches. If you are considering such an approach for pain, this information can help you talk with your healthcare provider. NCCIH supports and conducts pain research at the NIH labs in…
April 26, 2023
Joe Brady
A Whole Person Approach to Lifting the Burden of Chronic Pain Among Service Members and Veterans Posted on March 28th, 2023 by Helene M. Langevin, M.D., National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Chronic pain and its companion crisis of opioid misuse have taken a terrible toll on Americans. But the impact has been even greater on U.S….
April 7, 2023
Joe Brady
How much do we know about the effectiveness of complementary health approaches for chronic pain? A growing body of evidence suggests that some complementary approaches, such as acupuncture, hypnosis, massage, mindfulness meditation, music-based interventions, spinal manipulation, tai chi, qigong, and yoga, may help to manage some painful conditions. What do we know about the safety of complementary health approaches for chronic pain? Chronic pain is pain…
February 26, 2023
Joe Brady
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH) has created an updated fact sheet on chronic pain and complementary health approaches to include new scientific evidence. Chronic pain (pain that lasts for a long time) is a very common problem. National survey data from 2019 showed that about 20 percent of U.S. adults had…
October 23, 2022
Joe Brady
This article summarizes current scientific evidence about the complementary health approaches most often used by people for chronic pain, including fibromyalgia, headache, irritable bowel syndrome, low-back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer pain. The scientific evidence to date suggests that some complementary health approaches may provide modest effects that may help individuals manage…
June 12, 2022
Joe Brady
Beyond the Toolbox With over 100,000 deaths in the US, last year from opioid drugs the drugs we use to control pain have become a major cause of death in the country. Fortunately, much modern scientific research has shown that controlling pain is not just about drugs and surgery. When it comes to treating chronic…
June 14, 2021
Joe Brady
Research has shown that several mind and body practices, including acupuncture, mindfulness-based stress reduction, progressive muscle relaxation, spinal manipulation, tai chi, and yoga, may be helpful for chronic low-back pain. These practices are generally considered safe when used appropriately. However, that doesn’t mean they are risk-free for everyone, choose a well-qualified instructor and use your head. Low-back pain is…
September 21, 2020
Joe Brady
Pain is a common reason why people use complementary health approaches. It’s also a major focus of the (NCCIH) National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health’s research program. Here are some of the resources available: Pain eBook – overview of what the science says about the effectiveness and safety of complementary health approaches for various…
August 12, 2020
Joe Brady
With over 67,000 deaths a year from drug overdoses there is a high premium on finding alternatives to opioids for treating chronic pain. Fortunately, a variety of mind and body practices have been found in many studies to be helpful for treating chronic pain. In fact, official guidelines recommend them as first-line treatment. Different practices…
February 9, 2020
Joe Brady
Pain: Considering Complementary Approaches Pain is the most common reason for seeking medical care. It is also a common reason why people turn to complementary health approaches. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) Has put together an eBook entitled Pain: Considering Complementary Approaches the book highlights evidence-based mind/body approaches to pain that may…