Complementary therapies clinical trials

Many people turn to complementary and alternative medicine therapies, such as massage, acupuncture, and behavioral therapy, to manage a health condition. While there is no doubt that holistic medicine provides wellness benefits, evaluating the efficacy and trustworthiness of complementary treatments can be a difficult task. It is vital to learn how to evaluate complementary medicine therapy to ensure you choose a safe alternative therapy that helps you meet your wellness goals.

There are several actions you can take to evaluate the effectiveness of complementary therapies. If you are considering visiting an herbalist for IBS, an acupuncturist for polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS , or a massage therapist to reduce muscle tension, it is important to research the therapy itself to judge whether the alternative practice is safe and effective for your specific condition.

Before you undergo a holistic remedy, take time to research the therapy method. Familiarize yourself with how the treatment process works and how outcomes are measured. Look for trustworthy sources that detail the effectiveness of the therapy through scientific evidence, peer-reviewed research, and clinical trials. Many holistic approaches promote health improvements that can be difficult to measure with facts and figures. Assessing trustworthiness of a source is one of the most important aspects of evaluating an alternative medicine therapy.

To determine if the source you are accessing is reliable, keep the following points in mind. When researching a therapy online, be sure you refer only to highly regarded sources.

Sites like WebMD and Healthline are good places to start. Major medical centers like Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins are also good sources, as are many university sites. Some unproven therapies might not be safe or effective and put your health and recovery at risk. A growing number of people are turning to complementary therapies as a way to help manage symptoms, reduce side effects, and restore and promote a sense of control and vitality.

Roughly two out of three cancer patients have tried at least one complementary therapy as part of their cancer care. Existing scientific evidence has found that certain complementary therapies may alleviate cancer-related symptoms and treatment side effects such as nausea and fatigue. For example, acupuncture has been evaluated in a number of studies and is now recognized as a safe method for managing chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting, and it is effective for some patients.

Many complementary therapies are gentle, relaxing and minimally invasive and provide ways for patients to develop an appreciation of themselves and an awareness of their inner strength. Clinical trials to study various complementary therapies are underway in many locations across the country to assess their safety, benefits, dosing and relative effectiveness.

Patients enrolled in complementary studies receive the best standard cancer treatment either with or without the complementary therapies in question. Some health insurance companies have started covering certain types of complementary therapies, such as acupuncture or chiropractic care. Check with your insurance provider to find out about your coverage. Echinacea for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine. Treatment of the common cold in children and adults. American Family Physician.

Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Black elderberry Sambucus nigra supplementation effectively treats upper respiratory symptoms: a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled clinical trials.

The effectiveness of high dose zinc acetate lozenges on various common cold symptoms: a meta—analysis. BMC Family Practice. Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold. Saline nasal irrigation for acute upper respiratory tract infections. Effectiveness of probiotics on the duration of illness in healthy children and adults who develop common acute respiratory infectious conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition.

Garlic for the common cold. Treatments for symptoms of the common cold. Efficacy of a Pelargonium sidoides preparation in patients with the common cold: a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Explore NY. Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents.

Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. Robohm C, Ruff C. Diagnosis and treatment of the common cold in pediatric patients. Zinc for the treatment of the common cold: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. A comparison of the effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and diphenhydramine on nightly cough and sleep quality in children and their parents.

Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Efficacy and safety of echinacea in treating upper respiratory tract infections in children: a randomized controlled trial. Pelargonium sidoides extract for treating acute respiratory tract infections. Elderberry supplementation reduces cold duration and symptoms in air-travellers: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Food and Drug Administration. Share Email Facebook Twitter.

Carbohydrates are reduced and the calories are replaced with fat. PKT requires a very precise and personalized dietary prescription, involving a significant commitment on the part of the patients or caregivers. The details of what is involved can be found in the videos below. For more information about dietary therapies for epilepsy, ask your epilepsy doctor.

Hormonal treatments are another alternative treatment for female patients of childbearing age with epilepsy. If you are a woman with epilepsy, your doctor will probably mention the effects of hormones and the menstrual cycle on seizures during your visit.