Alternative Medicines Rated in Consumer Reports Survey
By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Health News
June 30, 2005 -- Healing hands are the best alternative medicine, Consumer Reports readers say.
The nonprofit consumer magazine asked its readers how well alternative medicines work for what ails them. More than 34,000 readers took part.
"We asked them to rate the effectiveness of conventional and complementary treatments for their two biggest problems over the last two years," Consumer Reports Features Editor Leslie Ware tells WebMD. "They told us whether these treatments helped a lot, helped some, helped a little, or were no help at all."
The consumers' verdict:
- Chiropractic ranked ahead of all conventional treatments for back pain.
- Deep-tissue massage was very popular. It was particularly effective for osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.
- Exercise helped a wide range of conditions: back pain, allergies, respiratory problems, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, insomnia, and prostate problems.
- Herbal remedies and dietary supplements often ranked below over-the-counter remedies, while for most conditions prescription drugs ranked at or near the top.
The survey findings appear in the August issue of Consumer Reports.
Hands-On Therapies Get Thumbs Up
"For conditions such as back pain, osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia, some forms of alternative medicine did work well," Ware says. "Those were, specifically, chiropractic and deep tissue massage. So look for hands-on therapies to work well for these conditions."
That's because moderate pressure to muscles and soft tissues stimulates a cascade of biological effects, explains Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine.
"We are finding that moderate pressure is essential for any of the effects we see from massage," Field tells WebMD. "That may be one way chiropractic works, because typically a chiropractor applies moderate pressure. So does just about any sport that you do -- or any self-massage exercise like yoga. Anything that stimulates the body's pressure receptors will help."
Field warns that it's important to find a qualified therapist before undergoing such therapies.
"I always recommend that people go to their local massage school for a referral," she says. "And I suggest that since these treatments are expensive, that they learn the techniques themselves and teach their significant other to do it, so couples are massaging each other and parents are massaging children. Because the effects are so compelling, I recommend a regular dose, just like diet and exercise."
Supplements Not Getting Fair Shake?
Consumer Reports last asked its readers about alternative medicines in 1999. Since then, there's been a big change in doctors' attitudes.
"In 1999, doctors were just starting to accept alternative medicines as a valid way of treating people," Ware says. "Medical doctors are becoming increasingly likely to accept it, and patients are more likely to tell their doctors they are using it."
Doctors often complain that patients don't tell them about supplements they are taking. But 75% of Consumer Reports readers said they'd talked with their doctors about supplement use.
At Nill Family Chiropractic we can help you. Please look at our website: nillchiorpractic.com or call us for a free consultation (260)459-2205.