Complementary therapies in clinical practice
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · Nov 2013
ReviewPrevalence of visits to five types of complementary and alternative medicine practitioners by the general population: a systematic review.
To systematically review surveys of 12-month prevalence of visits to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners for five therapies: acupuncture, homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic, and medical herbalism. ⋯ This review summarises 12-month prevalence of visits to CAM practitioners in Europe, North America, Australia, East Asia, Saudi Arabia and Israel. A small but significant percentage of these general populations visit CAM practitioners each year.
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · Nov 2013
ReviewPrevalence of visits to five types of complementary and alternative medicine practitioners by the general population: a systematic review.
To systematically review surveys of 12-month prevalence of visits to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners for five therapies: acupuncture, homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic, and medical herbalism. ⋯ This review summarises 12-month prevalence of visits to CAM practitioners in Europe, North America, Australia, East Asia, Saudi Arabia and Israel. A small but significant percentage of these general populations visit CAM practitioners each year.
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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 · Feb 2007
ReviewCat's claw: an Amazonian vine decreases inflammation in osteoarthritis.
Cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa and Uncaria guianesis) is a medicinal plant from the Amazon commonly used to treat disorders such as arthritis, gastritis and osteoarthritis. The mechanism of cat's claw appears to be as an inhibitor of TNFalpha and antioxidant. Understanding the processes in osteoarthritis may facilitate and clarify the potential role of cat's claw as a complementary therapy to assist in the reduction of pro-inflammatory mediators and effectors. The clinical relevance of this therapy as a viable modality of intervention will be discussed.
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · May 2006
ReviewRedefining the randomized controlled trial in the context of acupuncture research.
The randomized controlled trial (RCT) is considered the 'gold standard' methodology for evaluating efficacy of an intervention. It has been argued that RCTs cannot be used to examine the effectiveness of acupuncture. ⋯ With these factors combined, it is possible to greatly increase internal and external validity in acupuncture RCTs.