Understanding The Implications Of Alternative Medicine
As people move around the world, they bring their health traditions with them. Many Americans now use practices that began in other cultures, such as yoga from India and acupuncture from China.
People often turn to these approaches for long-lasting problems such as chronic pain, or because of the rising cost of health care.
Doctors use specific terms here. "Alternative" medicine means using a non-mainstream approach instead of conventional treatment. "Complementary" or "integrative" medicine means using it together with conventional care, which is how most people use it.
Many of these practices take a whole-person view of health and encourage lifestyle changes. But they are not a substitute for diagnosis and treatment of a serious illness. In this article, we look at what the research shows for a few popular options.
Yoga
Yoga is a mind-body practice that began in ancient India. It combines physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation or relaxation.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), yoga may help relieve neck pain, migraine or tension headaches and knee osteoarthritis pain, with a small benefit for low-back pain. It may also help people manage anxiety or depression symptoms.
Research shows that chronic pain causes changes in the brain structure that are linked to depression and anxiety. Some early studies suggest that regular yoga practice may be linked to the opposite kind of changes, but this research is still small.
Yoga is generally safe when done with a qualified teacher, but injuries can happen. If you have a health condition, ask your doctor which poses to avoid.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese practice in which thin needles are inserted into the skin at specific points. Researchers are still studying how it works.
NCCIH reports that acupuncture may help several pain conditions, including back or neck pain, knee osteoarthritis pain and postoperative pain. In reviews, it worked better than no treatment and somewhat better than sham acupuncture.
There is less evidence for other uses, so be cautious about claims that it lowers blood pressure or prevents stroke. Acupuncture is generally safe when done by a licensed practitioner using sterile, single-use needles.
Diet Therapy
Diet therapy means changing what you eat to improve your health, ideally with help from a registered dietitian. The goal may be to lose, gain or maintain weight, or to manage a condition such as diabetes.
A healthy eating pattern can help with weight loss, lower the risk of some cancers, help manage diabetes and lower the risk of stroke and heart disease.
A balanced diet includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Fiber helps manage cholesterol and blood sugar, and protein helps build and repair muscle.
Diet therapy is part of mainstream medicine too. Be wary of extreme diets or products that promise to cure disease.
Cannabis
Cannabis is an herbal medicine used for its possible health benefits. Its two best-known components are THC, which causes the "high," and CBD, which does not.
The FDA has not approved the cannabis plant for any medical use. It has approved a few drugs made from single cannabinoids:
- Epidiolex (purified CBD) for seizures in two rare, severe forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome
- Dronabinol and nabilone (synthetic THC-like drugs) for nausea and vomiting from cancer chemotherapy; dronabinol is also used for appetite loss with weight loss in people with HIV/AIDS
According to NCCIH, some evidence suggests modest benefits for chronic pain and multiple sclerosis symptoms. Cannabis is not helpful for glaucoma, and research on other conditions is still early.
THC is not an approved treatment for anxiety or depression, and cannabis can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Claims about curing cancer are not supported. You can see more conditions that cannabis can help with on some websites, but always check claims against medical sources and talk to your doctor.
HP Thoughts: Many people use herbal supplements, but "natural" products can still cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read our article for more details: Herbal Supplement.
Conclusion
Some complementary approaches, such as yoga and acupuncture, have reasonable evidence for certain types of pain. Others have little or no evidence.
"Natural" does not always mean safe. Tell your doctor about any complementary health approach you use, and do not replace proven treatment with an unproven one.
