All That Care

07/18/2018

"Acupuncture may relieve osteoarthritis pain, although how it works is unclear. Current evidence suggests that factors like expectation and belief, which are unrelated to acupuncture needling, may play important roles in the effects of acupuncture on pain. Acupuncture is generally considered safe when performed properly by an experienced practitioner."

Fact sheet on complementary health approaches studied for osteoarthritis, including acupuncture, massage therapy, tai chi, herbs, glucosamine, chondroitin, and S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe).

07/11/2018

"Pain is a major public health problem and is the most common reason why Americans use complementary and integrative health practices. Conventional care often fails to manage chronic pain effectively, and other approaches to relieve or reduce pain and increase functional ability are needed."

Information for researchers seeking grants from NCCIH related to research on pain.

07/09/2018

"Many studies have investigated meditation for different conditions, and there’s evidence that it may reduce blood pressure as well as symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and flare-ups in people who have had ulcerative colitis. It may ease symptoms of anxiety and depression, and may help people with insomnia."

This fact sheet provides information about meditation for conditions such as high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and pain.

07/09/2018

"Results from a number of studies suggest that acupuncture may help ease types of pain that are often chronic such as low-back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis/knee pain. It also may help reduce the frequency of tension headaches and prevent migraine headaches. Therefore, acupuncture appears to be a reasonable option for people with chronic pain to consider. However, clinical practice guidelines are inconsistent in recommendations about acupuncture."

Information about acupuncture, including safety and effectiveness as well as tips on finding a qualified practitioner.

06/21/2018

Find out what the science says about popular herbs

"Shopping for herbal products? Take your herb database with you to the supermarket or drugstore. With HerbList on your phone or tablet, you’ll have information on the science and safety of popular herbs at your fingertips when you need it most. "

Download HerbList™ – NCCIH's app for research-based information about the safety and effectiveness of herbal products.

06/03/2018

"For children, complementary health approaches were most often used for back or neck pain, other musculoskeletal conditions, head or chest colds, anxiety or stress, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention-deficit disorder (ADD), and insomnia or trouble sleeping."

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/children?nav=govd

05/31/2018

"Studies show that acupuncture may help relieve some types of pain such as low-back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis/knee pain. It also may help to reduce the frequency of tension headaches and prevent migraines. But the reasons why acupuncture helps with these pain conditions are not fully understood. Researchers are investigating a number of possible mechanisms for acupuncture’s effects.

Acupuncture is generally safe when performed by an experienced, well-trained practitioner using sterile needles. But if done improperly, acupuncture can cause serious problems such as infections and punctured organs."

Information about acupuncture, including safety and effectiveness as well as tips on finding a qualified practitioner.

05/31/2018

"A highlight of the meeting will be a mini-symposium on children and complementary and integrative health"

National Advisory Council for Complementary and Integrative Health (NACCIH)NIH Campus, Building 31/6CConference Room 1031 Center DriveBethesda, MD 20892Visitor Information (NIH)You will be able to view the Open Session at https://videocast.nih.gov when the event is live.

05/31/2018

"How can the field make quality pain care available to everyone?

Research has shown that some racial and socioeconomic groups are more vulnerable to poor quality pain management. Eliseo J. Peréz-Stable, M.D., director, NIH’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, will moderate a session on the latest research on racial and socioeconomic disparities in clinical pain management."

Event will highlight the need for better pain management and the latest research in the field.

05/30/2018

"There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease, .... Some people with Parkinson’s disease also try complementary health approaches to help with symptoms of the disease."

Do complementary health approaches help for Parkinson's disease? Learn here.

05/28/2018

"This fact sheet looks into these terms to help you understand them better and gives you a brief picture of NCCIH’s mission and role in this area of research."

Complementary, alternative, and integrative health definitions as well as NCCIH’s mission and role in this area of research.

05/25/2018

"These results provide insights into why we see limited effectiveness of opioid therapy in chronic pain and the mechanism of the depression that may accompany it"

Findings show the impact of chronic pain on the brain and its relation to depression.