Complementary Medicine Research最新文献

Introduction: Mechanical neck pain (MNP) and mechanical low back pain (MLBP) can have a negative impact on the quality of life of patients and may be associated with high levels of disability. Magnetic field therapy has been using in the treatment of various diseases. This study was conducted to assess the effects of Static Magnetic Field (SMF) therapy generated by neodymium magnets in patients with MNP and MLBP.

Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover study, patients with MNP and MLBP were randomly assigned to either the magnetic band or sham band treatment groups. After the initial 2-week phase (with participants randomly assigned to either treatment or sham-control), both groups underwent a 1-week washout period. Subsequently, the groups were swapped and proceeded with a second 2-week phase. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODI), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to evaluate the patients' pain severity, functional disability, sleep quality, and levels of depressive symptoms, respectively.

Results: Of the 30 subjects, 17 (56.7%) had MLBP, whereas 13 (43.3%) had MNP. Magnetic band treatment (MBT) resulted in a significant decrease in the VAS score (p < 0.001) in all patients. MBT led to a significant decrease in the ODI score (p = 0.009) in patients with MLBP. A significant decrease in the NDI score was found in MBT (p < 0.001) in patients with MNP. The improvement in ISI and PHQ-9 scores was also significantly higher in MBT (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: For patients with MNP and MLBP who have not experienced sufficient benefits from conventional treatments, neodymium magnets can be considered as an alternative treatment option due to their significant properties.

Background: Cancer patients are prone to experiencing negative emotions such as anxiety and depression after receiving chemotherapy. Research has shown that acupressure may be beneficial in relieving the anxiety and depression caused by chemotherapy, but high-quality evidence is lacking. This study was designed to systematically evaluate the efficacy of acupressure for relieving chemotherapy-induced anxiety and depression.

Methods: This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA framework. Four English databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) and four Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM) were searched from inception to December 31, 2022 to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) examining the use of acupressure for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anxiety and depression. Cochrane Review Manager 5.4 and Rstudiowas were used for the meta-analysis.

Results: This meta-analysis included 1,119 patients from 12 randomized controlled trials. We mainly compared acupressure with sham acupressure and routine nursing. The results showed that acupressure alleviated chemotherapy-induced anxiety (SMD=-0.72, 95% CI[-1.15, 0.28], P=0.001) and depression (SMD=-0.75, 95% CI[-1.36, 0.14], P=0.02) more effectively than sham acupressure and routine nursing.

Conclusion: This meta-analysis found that acupressure (body point) can relieve chemotherapy-induced anxiety and depression and improve the quality of life of patients. However, the current relevant literature has low quality and is highly heterogeneous, which reduces the credibility of the research results. Therefore, more rigorously designed randomized controlled trials are needed to verify these conclusions.

Introduction: The number of types of cancer, which is the leading severe health problem and is frequently seen in childhood period, has steadily increased over the years. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the herbal treatment methods used by parents of children with cancer during the chemotherapy process for symptom management.

Methods: The study was carried out with the parents of 126 children diagnosed with cancer. The data were collected with a questionnaire form created in line with the literature and the form for the amount and frequency of use of herbal treatment methods used by parents. The data were evaluated with descriptive statistics and χ2 test.

Results: The mean age of the children included in the study was 8.08 ± 3.15 (min = 3, max = 17) years, and the mean duration of diagnosis was 14.35 ± 13.22 (min = 6, max = 60) months. 78.6% (n = 99) of the parents included in the study stated that they used herbal treatment for the treatment of their child's disease. 79.4% (n = 100) of the parents thought that the herbal treatment they used was effective. The first reason (48.4%, n = 61) for using herbal treatment was "to do everything we could for the treatment."

Conclusion: It was determined that the use of herbal treatment methods was related to the mother's profession, the education level of the parents, and the place of residence. In particular, it is necessary to inform parents about herbal treatment methods through nurses with up-to-date information and to create the right attitude toward this issue.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of acupuncture as an early intervention in the treatment of osteoporosis and prevention of osteoporosis.

Methods: This multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted in 226 patients with osteoporosis for 6 months. Participants were randomized to the control group (n = 110) and the acupuncture group (n = 116), both groups received basic treatment with daily calcium carbonate and vitamin D3 tablet (containing calcium 600 mg/tablet) supplementation (n = 116), and the acupuncture group received additional acupuncture treatment. Bone mineral density (BMD), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), bone metabolism indexes, and lower limb muscle strength and balance indexes were tested to evaluate the therapy outcomes of the two groups.

Results: After 6 months of treatment, BBS11 (p = 0.046), BBS12 (p = 0.042), and total BBS scores (p = 0) in the acupuncture group were significantly higher than those before treatment; comparing between groups, BBS8 in the acupuncture group was higher than that in the control group after 3 and 6 months, with statistically significant differences (p = 0.036 and 0.0270). After 6 months of treatment, the total BBS score of the acupuncture group was significantly higher than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.039). After 6 months of treatment, the BMD of total bone of femoral neck (p = 0.031) and hip joint (p = 0.013) in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than that before treatment, but there was no statistical difference with the control group. The time of five sit-to-stand test (FTSST) was shortened in the acupuncture group, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.023), but there was no significant change in the control group (p > 0.05). In addition, the specific sequences of blood phosphorus (p = 0.007), β-collagen (p = 0.009), and N-osteocalcin (p = 0.007) were significantly lower than before treatment after 3 months of acupuncture treatment, and the blood phosphorus level continued to decrease after 6 months of treatment (p = 0.007). In addition, the levels of N-osteocalcin in the acupuncture group were significantly lower than those in the control group after 3 months of treatment (p = 0.008).

Conclusion: Acupuncture can increase hip bone density, improve bone metabolism, reduce bone turnover rate, and improve body balance and lower limb muscle strength in patients with osteoporosis.

Introduction: Hyperthyroidism is a common endocrinology condition that could affect several aspects of the patient's life.

Case presentation: We present a 27-year-old woman who was sent to the traditional Persian medicine (TPM) clinic with a diagnosis of uncontrolled chronic hyperthyroidism (lower levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and higher levels of T3 and T4) and its complications, such as developing exophthalmos, palpitations, anxiety, sleep problems, hair loss, and dry skin. The patient was under treatment with prednisolone and methimazole for up to 1 year, but no acceptable improvement was achieved. The patient received a package of TPM recommendations, which included lifestyle modification, Melissa officinalis herbal tea, and Persian barley water. The patient was followed for 1 year. After 2 months of follow-up of the patient, the level of TSH increased, and the level of T3 and T4 decreased. In addition, the patient's symptoms, including exophthalmos, palpitation, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and dryness of the skin, were improved considerably. After 3 months of consumption of the TPM-based regime and prescription, the serum levels of TSH, T3, and T4, of the patient were in normal ranges. In a 1-year follow-up of the patient, the patient's condition was stable and her thyroid function tests were normal. We hereby present the following case to be in line with the CAse REports (CARE) checklist.

Conclusion: It appears that TPM lifestyle recommendations, M. officinalis herbal tea, and Persian barley water were effective in treating the patient with uncontrolled hyperthyroidism. We recommend further studies and clinical trial designs in this regard.

Introduction: The effects of work-related stress (WRS) on occupational health often lead to reduced well-being and long-term sick leave. Itching or pruritus, a skin inflammation with a rash that provokes the desire to scratch, often occurs during stressful periods in patients with a history of atopic dermatitis (AD).

Case presentation: This patient suffered from severe WRS together with long-term therapeutically resistant pruritus for 8 years, resulting in severe itching. He was provided with an intervention with acupuncture treatment (AT) to prevent a long-term sick leave. The results showed an unexpected reduction in itching, skin inflammation, and eczema. Additionally, the treatment enhanced the patient's emotional and cognitive well-being and eliminated the need for sick leave.

Conclusion: Acupuncture can be an effective complementary treatment for severe itching related to WRS, in addition to standard medical treatments.