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Acupuncture relieves symptoms of fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia patients treated with six sessions of acupuncture experienced significant symptomatic improvement compared to a group given simulated acupuncture sessions according to a new Mayo Clinic study.

25 Aug 2005

Prince Charles champions alternative healthcare

According to media in the UK, Prince Charles has commissioned a report into how the government could save money by using alternative medicine in the public healthcare system.

24 Aug 2005

Dietary supplement chitosan shows some promise in treating obesity

The dietary supplement chitosan shows some promise in treating overweight and obesity but has not been shown conclusively to be an effective weight loss aid, according to a new systematic review of current evidence.

23 Aug 2005

Echinacea little use in relieving colds

According to a new study by the University of Virginia School of Medicine, taking the the herbal remedy Echinacea, to relieve the symptoms of the common cold, is a waste of time and offers no more relief than a placebo.

28 Jul 2005

Intestinal hormone secretin should not be used to treat autism

The intestinal hormone secretin, considered by some to be a promising drug in the treatment of autism, does not improve the symptoms and should not be used to treat the disorder, according to a new review of studies.

19 Jul 2005

Chronic insomnia medicines have not yet been rigorously evaluated for long-term use

Many of the medications widely used to manage chronic insomnia have not yet been rigorously evaluated for long-term use, according to an independent scientific panel convened this week by the National Institutes of Health.

16 Jun 2005

Stronger version of chickenpox vaccine cuts incidence and severity of shingles in older adults

In one of the largest adult vaccine clinical trials ever, researchers have found that an experimental vaccine against shingles (zoster vaccine) prevented about half of cases of shingles--a painful nerve and skin infection--and dramatically reduced its severity and complications in vaccinated persons who got the disease. The findings appear in the June 2 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

1 Jun 2005

St. John's Wort only minimally effective in relieving major depression

St. John’s Wort, the herbal medicinal long thought to relieve symptoms of depression, provides only minor benefits in patients with the most acute depression and perhaps no benefit for those with chronic depression.

16 May 2005

New treatments for common vaginal infection being studied

Whether a two-week regimen using a stainless steel douching device can eradicate the most common vaginal infection is under study at the Medical College of Georgia.

9 May 2005

Impact of acupuncture goes beyond the acknowledged placebo effect

Researchers at the University of Southampton and University College London have shown for the first time that the impact of acupuncture goes beyond the acknowledged placebo effect caused by the patient's own expectation of feeling benefit from the treatment.

4 May 2005

Acupuncture treatment no more effective than sham treatment in reducing migraine headaches

Migraine patients who received true acupuncture had no decrease in headaches as compared with those who received sham acupuncture treatment, according to a study in the May 4 issue of JAMA.

3 May 2005

Milk thistle not proven effective in lowering mortality in alcoholic or hepatitis B or C liver disease

While some studies found that liver-related mortality may be significantly reduced in patients treated with milk thistle, these findings were not duplicated in the higher quality clinical trials.

2 May 2005

Transcendental meditation promotes a healthier, longer life

Transcendental Meditation has been found to have far more impact on the body than was previously suspected and goes beyond just creating a laid back and relaxed attitude.

2 May 2005

Concern that vaccines might cause harm most common reason why parents don't immunize

Concern that vaccines might cause harm was the most common reason given by parents who choose not to have their children vaccinated for preventable diseases, according to an article in the May issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

2 May 2005

Lower vaccination rates put children at risk

A study done in part by the University of Alberta shows that children treated with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) have lower vaccination rates than the general population, exposing them to added risk from preventable illnesses such as mumps and measles.

1 May 2005

Ginkgo beneficial for multiple sclerosis symptoms

When it comes to her health, Janice Winfield of Portland, Ore., does her research. That's why the stay-at-home mom, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in July 2000, was willing to turn to popular, over-the-counter herbal supplements like ginkgo biloba to deal with memory problems, fatigue and occasional muscle pain.

27 Apr 2005

Three out of every four adults over age 50 use some kind of alternative medicine

This study found that 71 percent of older adults used some form of alternative medicine in 2000. A study done in 2002, found a lower rate -- about 62 percent – among all adults.

10 Apr 2005

Pediatric use of complementary and alternative medicine

Insured pediatric and adolescent patients account for only a small part of total insurance expenditures for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) but are more likely to use these therapies if their adult family members also use CAM professionals, according to an article in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

4 Apr 2005

Acupuncture treatments using low levels of electrical stimulation can lower blood pressure

Acupuncture treatments using low levels of electrical stimulation can lower elevations in blood pressure by as much as 50 percent, researchers at the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at UC Irvine have found.

28 Mar 2005

Liquorice - the black stuff we love to eat, may help prevent cancer

Liquorice - the black stuff we love to eat, contains a compound - glycyrrhizic acid which may stop people with a herpes virus from developing cancer.A research team at New York University found the compound - glycyrrhizic acid - possibly has the ability to stop the virus triggering a form of cancer called Kaposi sarcoma.

2 Mar 2005