Research into the use of acupuncture as an adjunctto other therapies

Tag : Herb Medicine

THE THEME of Arthritis Ireland's national arthritis week, which waslaunched yesterday and continues until Sunday is "Live Well withArthritis".
The aim is to encourage people with arthritis to understand theircondition better, take back control of their lives and reduce painso that they can have as good a quality of life as their conditionallows.
Through self-management programmes, Arthritis Ireland introducespeople to techniques such as cognitive pain management,distraction, guided imagery, meditation, relaxation and positivethinking.
Most arthritic and rheumatic aches and pains come and go and even apersistent condition such as osteoarthritis may only be painful attimes, often because the joint has been twisted and strained. Thismeans that it is extremely difficult to know whether improvement isdue to the illness waxing and waning naturally or because of aspecific treatment.
Yet many people with arthritis are now seeking out alternative andcomplementary therapies to help them cope better with and/orrelieve the pain of their condition.
The organisation, Research Arthritis Ireland, produces a booklet onvarious complementary therapies which discusses whether they areappropriate for people with arthritis.
Sarah Gahan, communications manager with Arthritis Ireland, says:"We advise anyone who is considering the use of a complementarytherapy to research what therapies may or may not work for them andideally to seek a referral from someone they know who has tried andcan recommend a particularly therapy."
Here follows a brief guide to complementary therapies that haveshown some positive results for people with arthritis.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture has been found to help people with arthritis at allstages of their illness, although it cannot cure or reverse thecondition.
Some studies have shown that six to eight weekly sessions ofacupuncture can bring pain relief to people with arthritis for upto nine months. Research into the use of acupuncture as an adjunctto other therapies or an alternative for those who can't toleratemedication is ongoing.
Hands-on therapies: Manipulation of inflamed joints is not recommended and osteopaths,chiropractors, physical therapists and massage therapists are alltrained to avoid areas of the body which are inflamed.
However, one survey of patients attending a rheumatism clinic inLondon found that manipulation was the most helpful of thecomplementary therapies they had tried.
Herbal medicine: Concerns about side effects from the use of conventional drugtreatments for arthritis (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) is oneof the reasons people seek alternative and complementary medicine.
There has been a particular growth of interest in the use ofwestern herbal medicine. Studies on both single herbs (eg devil'sclaw, white willow) and combinations of herbal extracts (avocadopear and soya beans, poplar bark, ash leaves and goldenrod) haveshown reductions in symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Ginger (and ginger extract) and turmeric also haveanti-inflammatory properties which have been found to reducemorning stiffness and joint swelling in patients with rheumatoidarthritis.
Traditional herbal combinations, as prescribed by Ayurvedic andChinese herbal medicine systems, have also shown some promisingresults.
As always, it is crucial to seek advice from practitionersregistered with a professional organisation who would liaise withGPs regarding possible herb-drug interactions.
Hydrotherapy: Although not specifically an alternative therapy, it's worthmentioning that hydrotherapy has been found to be an excellent wayfor people with arthritis to build up strength, ease stiff jointsand relax sore muscles. It involves special exercises carried outin a warm water swimming pool (often within a hospitalphysiotherapy department).
The warm temperature and buoyancy of the water allows the musclesto relax and eases the pain in joints, thus making it easier toexercise. Sufferers of arthritis who partake in regularhydrotherapy sessions say that it relieves pain, makes movementeasier and helps them relax. Regular sessions in a hydrotherapypool can also prevent arthritis from getting worse.
Nutritional therapy: A good, healthy, balanced diet is the starting point for anyonewith a chronic medical condition. In the last 10 years, there hasbeen an explosion of interest in dietary supplements for chronicconditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Oils that contain Omega 3 (oily fish such as salmon, mackerel andherrings) and Omega 6 (plant seed oils) essential fatty acids havebeen found to reduce inflammation. Olive oil has also been found tohelp people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Dietary supplements containing chondroitin sulphate and glucosaminesulphate came to widespread public attention as part of the"medical miracle" promoted in the book, The Arthritis Cure (St Martin's Press, New York, 1997). There is evidence that bothtogether and separately, they relieve pain and increase mobility inthose with osteoarthritis, however, the quality of supplements onsale varies hugely.
© 2008 The Irish Times
This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times