New study reviews from trial results based in the U.S. show that there are complementary health approaches that are effective for treating common pain conditions.
A team of scientists from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), a branch of the National Institutes of Health, conducted the review. The review of the clinical trials shows that the most popular complementary health approaches, like tai chi, yoga and acupuncture, are effective treatments to help patients manage their common pain conditions.
“For many Americans who suffer from chronic pain, medications may not completely relieve pain and can produce unwanted side effects. As a result, many people may turn to nondrug approaches to help manage their pain,” Richard Nahin, NCCIH’s lead epidemiologist and lead author of the analysis, said. “Our goal for this study was to provide relevant, high-quality information for primary care providers and for patients who suffer from chronic pain.”
Many Americans who have persistent pain may not find full relief using only medications. Some have used complementary health approaches, and with this new review, primary care providers will be able to offer evidence for using the complementary approaches.
The best approaches for back pain were yoga and acupuncture, neck pain decreased with massage therapy, osteoarthritis of the knee found relief in tai chi and acupuncture, and migraines and headaches dissipated with relaxation techniques.
“These data can equip providers and patients with the information they need to have informed conversations regarding non-drug approaches for treatment of specific pain conditions,” David Shurtleff, deputy director of NCCIH, said. “It’s important that continued research explore how these approaches actually work and whether these findings apply broadly in diverse clinical settings and patient populations.”
