Complementary Medicine Methods Research Articles

Use of complementary medicine in autoimmune diseases of the nervous system.

Autoimmune diseases of the nervous system are characterized by the formation of a pronounced neurological deficit and often lead to disability. The attention of doctors and researchers is increasingly attracted to complementary medicine as an adjuvant r preventive therapy for various diseases, including autoimmune diseases. Complementary medicine is a collection of treatments that include manual therapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, kinesiology, craniosacral therapy, and other methods that are often used in conjunction with established approaches of conventional medical science. The article describes the use of complementary medicine methods for autoimmune diseases of the nervous system and demonstrates the clinical experience of using diets, osteopathic techniques, and exercise therapy. Traditional and complementary medicine is an important and often underestimated healthcare resource with many applications, especially in the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases of the ner vous system.

Traditional and Complementary Medicines Methods Used by Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19

Aim: This study aimed to determine traditional and complementary medicines (T&CM) methods used by patients before and after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out between 27 March 2021 and 2 July 2021, in the community health services unit of Düzce Province, Central District, in the western Black Sea region. 547 people participated in the study. Two forms prepared by the researchers, the “Participant Identification Form” and the “Assessment Form for the Use of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Methods,” were used to collect the data. Results: Before the diagnosis of COVID-19, patients reported that they consumed the highest rate of medicinal plants (56.1%) and fruits (40.4%) and prayed (40.4%) to prevent disease. After the diagnosis of COVID-19, they stated that they consumed the highest percentage of medicinal plants (68.4%) and fruit (53.0%) and prayed (48.4%) to reduce disease symptoms. It was seen that herbal products/herbal mixtures (medicinal plants [p < 0.001], fruits [p < 0.001], and fruit vinegars [p < 0.001]), and T&CM methods such as supplements like C, E, D, and other vitamins (p < 0.001), prayer (p < 0.001), massage (p < 0.001), and apitherapy (p < 0.001) were found to be statistically significant after COVID-19 diagnosis compared to before. Conclusion: In this study, it was determined that the patients often used T&CM methods such as herbal products (especially medicinal plants and fruits) and prayer before and after COVID-19 diagnosis, and the use of these T&CM methods increased significantly after diagnosis.

Menopause symptoms in women and its relation with using complementary and alternative medicines: A survey in southeast Iran.

BackgroundPostmenopausal women are interested in using complementary and alternative medicine because of their menopausal symptoms and the side effects of chemical medications and hormone therapy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the use of complementary medicine (CAM) and menopausal symptoms among postmenopausal women.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 288 postmenopausal women who were referred to health centers in Kerman, southeastern Iran, from 2020 to 2021. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the CAM questionnaire, and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).ResultsThe mean score for the menopausal symptoms of the participants was 8.73 ± 6.11. Only 28.8% of the participants had no/little symptoms. About 65.3% of the participants used at least one type of CAM in the previous year. The most commonly used types of CAM were nutritional supplements, prayer, and medicinal herbs. A significant association was found between the use of medicinal herbs, dry cupping, relaxation and meditation, prayer, and menopausal symptoms. Women experiencing menopausal symptoms used more CAM methods than those without menopausal symptoms (Odds ratio = 2.25, 95% confidence interval = 1.33–3.80).ConclusionThe study results indicated that the severity of menopausal symptoms and scores in somatic-vegetative and urogenital domains were higher in CAM users compared to non-CAM users. But there was no significant difference in the psychological domain between CAM and non-CAM users. Based on the results, it is suggested that more research be done in different communities with different healthcare systems to find out how complementary and alternative medicine affects menopausal symptoms in women.

Assessment of Awareness, Attitude and Performance of Surgical Team about Medicinal Plants Use by Candidate Patients for Surgery

Due to the increasing application of traditional and complementary medicine methods as well as medicinal herbs and given the drug interactions during surgery, the goal of this study was to determine the awareness, attitude and performance of surgical team regarding the use of herbs by surgical candidates. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, members of surgery and anesthesia team completed a data collection form, which included personal information and specialized questions (10 awareness, 9 attitudes, and 9 performance questions). The score for each awareness question was 0-2, which was 1-5 for attitude and performance questions, respectively. Quantitative data were reported with mean ±SD, and qualitative data were reported as frequency percentage. Quantitative variables were analyzed by Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, and qualitative variables were assessed using Chi-square test. Among 185 participants, there were 99 women (53.6%). 31.4% of participants were specialists or assistants, 87.6% of them had moderate attitude, 82.3% showed poor performance and 82.2% poor awareness. The level of awareness was not significant in terms of specialization but that of attitude (p &lt; 0.001) and performance (p &lt; 0.019) was significant. Considering the growing trend of medicinal plants’ consumption in people, and given the moderate attitude, as well as poor awareness and performance of surgical team members toward medicinal plants, increasing knowledge level, prevention of drug interactions and potential side effects of medicinal plants together with training planning are essential for surgical team members to increase patient safety.

Borders between integrative medicine and EBM: significance, potential for use and legal issues in European Union member states. Narrative review

Abstract Aim. The aim of the study is to present the meaning, potential of use and legal issues related to the use of complementary, alternative and integrative medicine in the European Union member states. Material and methods. Non-systematic review. Analysis of the literature on the subject covering the issues related to using and legal issues of complementary and alternative medicine methods in the context of the integration of Evidence Based Medicine methods into conventional medicine. Results. Despite attempts to introduce restrictions and introduce legal regulations regarding the use of unconventional medicine, it is still common to use unconfirmed methods, based on information searched on the Internet or using the services of people without any education in a given field. Lack of or insufficient regulations to manage the quality, safety and effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine methods, and the lack of integration between the health care system and CAM pose the greatest risk. Conclusions. Due to the ever-increasing public demand for the use of complementary medicine methods, it is necessary to take steps to introduce integrative medicine that will ensure safe and effective patient-centered care, taking into account the comparability and availability of CAM practices in European Union member states.

Применение ксенона в медицинской практике (обзор литературы)

A promising issue of anesthesiology development in the 21st century is methods of complementary medicine. Its main direction is influencing a human body with physical and chemical properties of simulated respiratory gas mixtures (RGM) based on inert gases-thinners of oxygen having physiological and narcotic activity, i. e. medical gases. Thus, xenon is applied in medicine. Xe (xenon) is a heavy gas, the physical and chemical properties of which improve the function of external respiration: the diffusion coefficient increases, the gas density decreases. It improves the transfer of gas all over the bronchial tree, the diffusion of carbon dioxide and oxygen in alveolar space, thus improving the gas exchange and acid-base equilibrium of blood. In this review, physical and physiological features of application of medical xenon are considered. Information search was carried out in Scientific Electronic Library, Scientific Central Medical Library, PubMed, and Scopus.

The effects of foot reflexology on pain and physiological indicators in children with leukemia under chemotherapy: a clinical trial study.

BackgroundFoot reflexology is a popular complementary medicine method; however, previous studies have shown conflicting results. This study aimed to investigate the impact of foot reflexology on pain and physiological responses caused by intrathecal injection of chemotherapy drugs in children with leukemia.Materials and methodsThis clinical trial included 80 children with leukemia. The participants received 20 min foot reflexology (10 min each foot). The primary measured outcomes included pain and physiological indicators (blood pressure and heart rate).ResultsThe results showed that foot reflexology had a significant effect on reducing pain (p = 0.002) and improving physiological indicators [blood pressure (p = 0.002) and heart rate (p = 0.003)].ConclusionBased on the results of the present study, which shows the positive effect of foot reflexology on the improvement of pain and physiological indicators, foot reflexology can be used as a complementary treatment along with conventional therapies.

Determination of Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors towards Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Patients Applying to Pamukkale University Medical Faculty Hospital Polyclinics

Objective: The aim of research was to investigate the attitudes and behaviors towards traditional and complementary medicine methods, the use of which has increased in recent years, in individuals admitted to the hospital.Material-Method: The descriptive study was performed by applying a questionnaire to 276 people. The questionnaire included questions about the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors about traditional complementary medicine methods, and the Complementary, Alternative, and Conventional Medicine Attitude Scale. Data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 15. Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskall-Wallis H tests were used in the comparison of traditional and complementary medicine attitudes and behaviors with sociodemographic characteristics. p&amp;lt;0.05 was considered significant.Results: 33% of respondents had applied at least one traditional complementary medicine method. The most commonly used methods were cupping (n=40), phytotherapy (n=34) and acupuncture (n=17). The mean score of scale was found to be 109.05±15.44. The mean score of the individuals aged 45 and over is higher than the other ages and is 102.7±17.2 (p&amp;lt;0.048). A statistically significant difference was found between the use of at least one traditional and complementary method and the variables of age, marital status, place of residence for the longest time, and perceived health (p&amp;lt;0.05).Conclusion: TCM methods are known to the majority of people who visit polyclinics. Their attitudes towards traditional and complementary medicine are quite close to positive. Physicians should question whether their patients use traditional methods.

The effect of guided imagery on the quality and severity of pain and pain-related anxiety associated with dressing changes in burn patients: A randomized controlled trial

Pain and anxiety caused by burn dressing change are one of the major issues in burn patients. In this regard, guided imagery as a complementary method can be effective in reducing the levels of anxiety and pain. This method is the process of creating mental images and using sensory features through the individual's imagination and memory that facilitate the achievement of desired therapeutic outcomes. Therefore, this study was aimed at determining the effect of guided imagery on the quality and severity of pain and pain-related anxiety associated with dressing change in burn patients. This is a single-blinded randomized controlled trial in which a total of 70 burn patients were enrolled using convenience sampling and randomly allocated to two groups of intervention and control (n = 35 in each group). Each patient in the intervention group received four sessions of guided imagery during four consecutive days (one session a day) using a headphone. Then in both groups, the level of pain was assessed after the dressing change and the level of pain-related anxiety was assessed before the dressing change (between the end of the intervention and the initiation of dressing change). Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and the Burn Specific Pain Anxiety Scale (BSPAS). Data were first entered into the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 25.0 and then analyzed using repeated-measures Analysis of Variance. The repeated measures ANOVA indicated the mean score of the quality and severity of pain and pain-related anxiety differed statistically and significantly after the intervention (during the four sessions) compared to before it (baseline) in the intervention group (p < 0.001). The independent-samples t-test indicated a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of the quality and severity of pain and pain-related anxiety between the two groups (p < 0.001). This difference was found to be significant from the second session onwards (p < 0.001). Medical staff, including physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals, are responsible for developing strategies to manage complications of burn injuries. Considering the effectiveness of guided imagery in reducing anxiety and pain in burn patients, it is recommended to use this method of complementary medicine to manage stress, anxiety, and pain in these patients.

Comparison of the effect of Sedamin and aromatherapy with Lavender on fatigue severity of patients with heart failure: A three arm randomized controlled trial

IntroductionFatigue is one of the main symptoms of heart failure, which leads to activity intolerance and self-care impairment. Aromatherapy is one of the most popular and widely used methods among patients with chronic diseases. One reason for the popularity of complementary medicine methods is the ease of use and attention to patient preferences, so in this study, the effect of two herbal derivatives with two methods of consumption (oral and inhalation) was investigated. This study compared the effect of Lavender essence inhalation and oral Sedamin on fatigue severity in patients with heart failure. MethodsThe three arm randomized controlled trial was conducted for 15 days on 120 patients with Heart Failure. The patients were selected by the convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to three groups of Sedamin (containing 530 mg of Valerian root), Lavender (essence), and Control (routine care). The fatigue severity was measured using the Fatigue Severity Scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics including the Friedman test, Fisher's exact test, Chi-square, one-way ANOVA, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS-22 software. ResultsFatigue severity was lower in the two intervention groups in the first week (P < 0.0001) and the second week (P < 0.0001) than in the control group. The fatigue severity was decreased in the two intervention groups in the first and the second weeks of intervention compared to baseline (P < 0.0001) and increased in the control group (P < 0.0001). ConclusionAromatherapy with Lavender essence or oral Sedamin capsule are inexpensive and easy methods and were effective in alleviating fatigue in Patients with Heart Failure. To confirm the findings, further studies are recommended.

Complementary Medicine in the Treatment of Cancer Patients.

Approximately half of all patients with cancer use at least one method of complementary medicine during or after tumor treatment. The substances most commonly taken are micronutrients, food supplements, and plant extracts. This guideline is based on pertinent articles retrieved by a systematic search in the Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycInfo, and Cinahl databases. The evidence is offen scant for any effect of a complementary method on patient-relevant endpoints such as relief of disease symptoms, reduction of treatment side effects, or prolonged survival. Micronutrients are available in different compositions, and their dosages vary. In most studies on the use of vitamins and trace elements by cancer patients, the blood level of the substance in question was not measured before its administration, so that it remains unknown whether a deficiency was present. For this reason, no well-founded conclusion on the effects of these substances can be drawn, and their use cannot be recommended in most cases. On the other hand, there is high-level evidence supporting physical exercise by cancer patients during and after their treatment. For patients with any type of cancer, mortality is lower among those who perform more physical exercise, whether before or after they receive the diagnosis of cancer (exercise before diagnosis, hazard ratio [HR] 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.79; 0.86]; exercise after diagnosis, HR 0.63, 95% CI [0.53; 0.75]). Physical exercise during and after treatment for cancer should, therefore, be recommended to all cancer patients. The inherent positive attribute of complementary medicine is patient empowerment: it enables patients to help themselves in an active way even while undergoing cancer treatment, as well as afterward. To avoid risks to health, patients should be instructed about unsafe methods, asked repeatedly about their use of complementary medicine, and informed specifically about potential interactions between such interventions and their cancer treatment.

The Knowledge and Attitudes of The Non-Health Worker Citizens and Physicians About Traditional and Complementary Medicine: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aim: Healthcare professionals will set an example to society with their behaviors about Traditional and Complementary Medicine usage. We aimed to investigate and compare the knowledge and attitudes of society and physicians about Traditional and Complementary Medicine to create an infrastructure for medical training. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study "Turkish Version of Complementary, Alternative and Conventional Medicine Attitude Scale" was used for data collection. Results: A total of 392 physicians and 438 citizens participated in the study. Among all participants, 36.9% had used a Traditional and Complementary Medicine method before and the most used method was phytotherapy. There was a significant difference between groups in terms of the level of knowledge. Surprisingly no significant difference was found between physicians and the public in the "Dissatisfaction with Modern Medicine" subgroup. Conclusion: Although there were differences in the level of knowledge between the public and physicians, it was seen that the behavioral patterns were similar to each other. This situation suggests that physicians are also influenced by the society they live in, rather than scientific data, in their decisions about Traditional and Complementary Medicine. Being as a role model to the public, physicians are responsible for providing evidence-based answers to questions about Traditional and Complementary Medicine and should receive adequate training about methods. Keywords: complementary medicine, therapeutic use, evidence-based practice, knowledge, physicians

Attitudes and Behaviors of Adults on Interventional (Invasive) Traditional Medicine Methods: A Descriptive Study

Objective:&#x0D; Invasive traditional and complementary medicine methods (TCAM), which are performed with minimal damage to the patient's body integrity, are becoming widespread in order to live healthy and to be treated when necessary. With this study, we aimed to evaluate the attitudes and behaviors of adults towards invasive TCAM.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: &#x0D; The descriptive research was conducted between 30/03/2020 and 06/04/2020. The questionnaire form consists of 20 questions. Percentage, mean ± standard deviation were used in descriptive statistics. Chi-square test was used to evaluate qualitative data; p

Effect of Complementary Medicine on Pain Relief and Wound Healing after Cesarean Section: A Systematic Review.

ObjectivesCesarean sections are one of the common surgical procedures around the world. Management of cesarean section side effects, including pain, hematoma, delayed wound healing, is of particular importance in maintaining maternal health and ability to care for the baby. The tendency to use complementary medicine strategies is on the rise because of the easy treatment with low side effects. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the efficacy and safety of clinical trials performed in Iran and worldwide on the effect of complementary medicine on pain relief and wound healing after cesarean section.MethodsPRISMA checklist was followed to prepare the report of this systematic review. The search process was carried out on databases on databases of Magiran, SID, Iran Medex, Scopus, Pub Med, Science direct, Medline and Cochrane library using keywords of cesarean, pain, wound healing, Herbal medicine, acupressure, massage, complementary medicine and their Persian equivalent and all possible combinations, from inception until February 2020. We used the Jadad scale to assess the quality of the searched articles. According to the Jadad scale, the articles with a score of at least 3 were included in the study.ResultsFinally, 28 clinical trials (with a sample size of 3,245) scored at least 3 on the Jadad scale were included into the analysis. This article reviewed 13 articles on medicinal herbs, 4 articles on massage, 1 article on reflexology, 2 articles on acupressure.ConclusionAccording to the present review, the use of medicinal herbs was the most common method of complementary medicine in pain relief and wound healing after cesarean section.

Slow-Stroke Back Massage Compared With Music Therapy for Leukemia-Related Pain and Fatigue: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Comparison of two safe complementary medicine methods to treat cancer-related pain and fatigue in adult patients with acute leukemia during active treatment with chemotherapy. A randomized trial with three groups (light massage, music therapy, and standard care) in Ahvaz, Iran, between 2018 and 2019. A total of 104 participants of the massage and music therapy groups received 15-minute intervention sessions, thrice weekly for 4 weeks, and participants of the control group received standard care. Cancer-related pain and fatigue intensity were measured by numeric self-report rating scales. During the 4 weeks of the interventions, pain and fatigue intensity were measured weekly. All the groups were followed up for 2 weeks after the end of the intervention. Pain and fatigue intensity decreased significantly over time between the intervention groups compared with the standard care group. In the massage and music therapy groups, a progressive reduction of pain and fatigue intensity over time (from the baseline to the fourth week) was observed. Fatigue intensity did not differ between the two intervention groups. Pain intensity decreased more in the massage group compared with the music therapy group. The durable effects of the massage therapy were greater compared with the music therapy 2 weeks after the intervention was completed. Light massage was more effective and persisted longer than the music therapy for controlling leukemia-related pain and fatigue in adult patients with acute leukemia.

Effect of guided imagery on anxiety, muscle pain, and vital signs in patients with COVID-19: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundCOVID-19 can lead to anxiety due to its high mortality rate. Patients with COVID-19 may suffer from muscle pain. This study aimed to determine the effect of guided imagery on anxiety, muscle pain, and vital signs in patients with COVID-19. Methods110 patients with COVID-19 were recruited and randomly assigned to two control and intervention groups. Data were collected using the Spielberger Anxiety Inventory, the McGill Pain Questionnaire, and the Visual Analogue Scale. The intervention group received ten training sessions of guided imagery. ResultsThe results indicated a significant difference in the mean scores of state (t = -3.829, p < .001), trait anxiety (t = -2.946, p = .004), pain quality (t = -4.223, p < .001), pain intensity (t = -3.068, p = .003), and heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and oxygen saturation (p < .001) between the two groups after the intervention. ConclusionsGuided imagery as a cost-effective method of complementary medicine is recommended to manage anxiety and pain in patients with COVID-19.

Traditional and Complementary Medicine Methods Which Have Become Widespread from The Perspective of Family Physicians and self-Employed Pharmacists; Approaches, Thoughts

Traditional and Complementary Medicine Methods Which Have Become Widespread from The Perspective of Family Physicians and self-Employed Pharmacists; Approaches, Thoughts

An evidence based approach of Unani regimen: Irsal e Alaq (Medicinal leech therapy)

Complementary medicine methods have a long history, but modern medicine has just recently focused on their possible modes of action. Medicinal leech therapy (MLT) or hirudotherapy, an old technique, has been studied by many researchers for possible effects on various diseases such as inflammatory diseases, osteoarthritis, and after different surgeries. Hirudo medicinalis has widest therapeutic usage among the leeches, but worldwide, many different species were tested and studied. Leeches secrete more than 20 identified bioactive substances such as antistasin, eglins, guamerin, hirudin, saratin, bdellins, complement, and carboxypeptidase inhibitors. They have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, platelet inhibitory, anticoagulant, and thrombin regulatory functions, as well as extracellular matrix degradative and antimicrobial effects, but with further studies, the spectrum of effects may widen. The technique is cheap, effective, easy to apply, and its modes of action have been elucidated for certain diseases. In conclusion, for treatment of some diseases, MLT is not an alternative, but is a complementary and/or integrative choice. MLT is a part of multidisciplinary treatments, and secretes various bioactive substances. These substances vary among species and different species should be evaluated for both treatment capability and their particular secreted molecules. There is huge potential for novel substances and these could be future therapeutics.

The Effect of Aromatherapy by Inhalation and Massage on Radiotherapy-induced Fatigue in Patients With Cancer

Background: Fatigue is one of the most prevalent and debilitating complications of cancer and its treatments. Patients undergoing radiotherapy experience some degrees of fatigue. Complementary medicine methods have reduced the complications of treatments in many disorders. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to compare the effect of aromatherapy by inhalation and massage on radiotherapy-induced fatigue in patients with cancer. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 105 patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy in the oncology ward of Firouzgar Hospital in Tehran, Iran were selected conveniently based on the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned into three groups of inhalation aromatherapy, massage aromatherapy, and control groups. In the first group, viola and almond oil were inhaled, in the second group, the Swedish massage was performed using aromatic oil, and the control group received routine care. Fatigue was measured by the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) before, and at the end of the intervention. The data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics (ANOVA, Paired T-tests, Fischer’s exact, and Chi-square tests) using SPSS software V. 16. The significance level was considered as P≤0.05. Results: The findings showed that the three studied groups had no significant statistical difference in terms of demographic characteristics before the intervention. Fatigue score was significantly different in all three groups after both interventions (P&lt;0/001), which indicated a decrease in fatigue in the two test groups. However, according to Scheffe post hoc test, massage aromatherapy was more effective in reducing fatigue resulting from radiotherapy. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that massage aromatherapy was more effective in reducing radiotherapy-induced fatigue in patients with cancer. It is recommended that future studies recruit another group that receives the only massage.

Effect of the Holy Quran on the Physiological Responses in Premature Infants: A Review

Background: One of the most important methods of complementary medicine is music and phonotherapy and one of the most beautiful sounds is the sound from the recitation of the Quran. We aimed to investigate the effect of the sound of the Quran on physiological responses in preterm infants. Materials and Methods: All clinical trials evaluating the Effect of the Sound of the Holy Quran on the physiological responses in premature infants were searched in the online databases of Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science and Medline with no language or time restrictions up to the end of Feb. 2019, using the combination related keywords of Mesh. Two reviewers did study selection. Results: Five studies with a sample size of 360 were included in this review. In the first study, the mean of respiratory and heart rates significantly decreased and oxygen saturation levels increased in the Quran group compared to the control groups. In the second study, there was a significant difference in the oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and heart rate between the two groups. In the third study, there was a significant difference in arterial blood oxygen levels and heart rates between the groups. In the fourth study, two groups (Quran recitation and control) were surveyed at minute 10 and 20 of intervention, also at minute10 post intervention; there were significant differences in respiratory rates and oxygen saturation levels at the three time points. In the fifth study, results did not indicate any significant differences in the mean of responses in four groups (Quran recitation, lullaby music, silence, and control groups). Conclusion Listening to recitation of the Quran can improve physiological parameters (reduced heart and respiratory rates, and increased oxygen saturation level) in preterm infants.