Complementary therapies in clinical practice
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · Aug 2011
Clinical TrialEffects of thermal therapy combining sauna therapy and underwater exercise in patients with fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic disorder that is characterized by widespread pain with localized tenderness. We aimed to investigate whether thermal therapy combining sauna therapy and underwater exercise improved pain, symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) in FMS patients. Forty-four female FMS patients who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria received 12-week thermal therapy program comprising sauna therapy once daily for 3 days/week and underwater exercise once daily for 2 days/week. ⋯ All of the patients reported significant reductions in pain and symptoms of 31-77% after the 12-week thermal therapy program, which remained relatively stable (28-68%) during the 6-month follow-up period (that is, the thermal therapy program improved both the short-term and the long-term VAS and FIQ scores). Improvements were also observed in the SF-36 score. Thermal therapy combining sauna therapy and underwater exercise improved the QOL as well as the pain and symptoms of FMS patients.
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The aim of this paper is to systematically review all controlled clinical trials of Pilates to treat low back pain. ⋯ There is a wide diversity in research investigating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of Pilates in patients with low back pain.
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · May 2011
Clinical TrialChanges in the cortisol awakening response (CAR) following participation in mindfulness-based stress reduction in women who completed treatment for breast cancer.
Changes in the cortisol awakening response (CAR) were studied in women participating in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program after completion of their medical treatment for breast cancer. ⋯ These results suggest the potential usefulness of employing the CAR as a biological marker in women with breast cancer participating in an MBSR program.
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · Aug 2010
Complementary and alternative medicine use in a pediatric neurology clinic.
To evaluate the frequency and determinants of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in children attending a pediatric neurology clinic in North Jordan, a parent completed questionnaire survey of children attending the pediatric neurology clinic at King Abdullah University Hospital from March to July 2008 was conducted. A review of 176 completed questionnaires showed that 99 parents (56%) had used CAM for their child's specific neurological illness. The most common modalities were prayer/reciting the Quran (77%), religious healers (30%), massage with olive oil (32%), and consumption of honey products (29%). ⋯ None reported lack of trust in conventional medicine as the reason behind seeking CAM. Factors significantly associated with CAM use were speech delay, belief in its usefulness, father's age more than 30 years, and mothers with education less than high school. CAM had a supplementary role in relation to traditional western medicine use.