Interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in general has exploded in recent years. A recent survey of patients in rheumatological practicesref 1 indicated that over half of patients were using various CAM modalities and 90% have used them in the past. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that persons that used CAM regularly were more likely to have osteoarthritis and severe pain. Arthritis is a common problem and a chronic disabling condition. For many patients conventional therapies are not effective and are limited by side effects. This leads to ongoing pain and frustration and hence toward seeking alternative therapies. CAM therapies are defined as being outside scientific mainstream medicine. These severe abdominal pain arthritis care non-pharmaceutical treatments are generally unproven in efficacy but perceived as safe. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) believes practitioners should be informed about CAM therapies and be able to discuss them knowledgably with patients. Meanwhile scientific studies are underway to test the efficacy of these modalities. Although a broad spectrum of treatment modalities is found under the umbrella of CAM, this discussion will be limited to the therapies listed below. It is imperative that practitioners familiarize themselves with these treatment methods to help guide their patients. (top of page) Acupunture Manipulation Acupuncture has become one of the most popular unconventional therapies within the United States. It arthritis hands arthritis care is gaining acceptance, and is even covered by some insurers and managed health organizations. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends it for chronic pain and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates acupuncture needles as medical devices. The general theory of acupuncture is based on the premise in Chinese medicine, that there are patterns of energy flow (meridians) in the body that are essential to health. Acupuncture is believed to correct imbalances in this energy flow, by targeting acupuncture points distributed along the meridians. Although puncturing the skin with thin long needles is the standard approach, there are many variations including the use of heat, pressure, friction, suction, or foot pain arthritis care electrical
