All Articles on Alternative Medicine

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  Yoga vs. stretching: Which is better for low back pain?

  Yoga classes were linked to better back-related function and less chronic low back pain in a large study published by the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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  Opioids: Encouraging trends and new challenges

  Kaiser Permanente Washington led in reducing opioids. We’re seeing benefits, but more work is needed, writes Dr. Michael Von Korff.
• Naturopathic care can improve blood sugar, mood in diabetes

  A new joint study by Group Health Research Institute and Bastyr University Research Institute found that type 2 diabetes patients who received naturopathic care (as an adjunct to conventional care) had lower blood-sugar levels, better eating and exercise habits, improved moods, and a stronger sense of control over their condition than did patients receiving only conventional care.
• Yoga eases back pain in largest U.S. yoga study to date

  Yoga classes were linked to better back-related function and diminished symptoms from chronic low back pain in the largest U.S. randomized controlled trial of yoga to date.
• Group Health findings on alternative therapies can guide patient-centered care

  Daniel C. Cherkin, PhD, and Karen J. Sherman, PhD, MPH, made headlines this week with their latest research on massage for back pain. Here, they reflect on their decade of investigating complementary and alternative medicine therapies
• Massage eases low back pain in randomized controlled trial

  Massage therapy helps ease chronic low back pain and improve function, according to a randomized controlled trial in the July 5 Annals of Internal Medicine. The first study to compare structural and relaxation (Swedish) massage, the trial found that both types of massage worked well, with few side effects.
• Acupuncture eases chronic low back pain in SPINE trial

  Acupuncture can help people with chronic low back pain feel less bothered by their symptoms and function better in their daily activities, according to the largest U.S. randomized trial of its kind, published in the May 11, 2009 Archives of Internal Medicine. But the SPINE (Stimulating Points to Investigate Needling Efficacy) trial raises questions about how the ancient practice actually works.