You are here: Home » General Health » Cure Or Crock? Distinguishing The Bona Fide From The Bogus In Alternative Medicine

Cure Or Crock? Distinguishing The Bona Fide From The Bogus In Alternative Medicine

Dreamer | Jul 17, 2009 | 0 comments

Unconventional medicine has gone mainstream: More than 62 percent of U.S. adults have tried some form of alternative therapy, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. That doesn’t mean they’ve had success, though. Here’s how to make sure you don’t fall prey to a fad.

Acupuncture: How it works: Practitioners insert needles along “meridians”-areas of your body linked to an ailing organ or tissue-increasing production of immune-system cells, pain-dulling endorphins, and neurotransmitters that lower blood pressure. When It’s A Cure: In a recent study, headache sufferers who were pricked experienced 50 percent fewer tension headaches than those who were not. And men with lower back pain felt a 19 percent reduction in symptoms after acupuncture. When It’s A Crock: Some practitioners tout acupuncture as a means to alleviate asthma, cure depression, or help you quit smoking. Researchers disagree. Got to acufinder.com to locate a nearby practitioner.

Chinese Acupuncture Cupping: TollieSchmidt.com

Chiropractic: How It Works: Chiropractors claim that subluxations, or “dislocated bones” in the spine, irritate nerve endings, causing chronic pain. They apply a quick, controlled force (or adjustment) to realign the joint. When It’s A Cure: Back-cracking may lower blood pressure. In a recent study, men who underwent 8 weeks of treatment experienced a 14-point drop in systolic blood pressure and an 8-point drop in diastolic pressure. When It’s A Crock: Researchers have discredited chiropractic as a cure for allergies and depression. And while it eased lower-back pain in a New England Journal Of Medicine study, less-costly physical therapy provided similar relief.

[smartads]

Message Therapy: How It Works: Massage therapists manipulate muscles to increase blood-flow and alleviate pain and stress. The pressure on tense tissues blocks pain signals to the brain and releases the feel-good hormone serotonin. When It’s A Cure: Studies show massage can help heal back pain, prevent migraines, lower stress and blood pressure, and even speed healing. The most effective and common style of massage? The Swedish massage. When It’s A Crock: It won’t help chronic neck pain or speed up workout recovery. Seek out a therapist who specializes in what ails you and has at least 500 hours of training, says Karen J. Sherman, Ph.D., of Group Health.

Meditation: How It Works: This mind-body practice uses breathing and focusing techniques to create what researchers call the “relaxation response,” which may reduce the activity of the automatic nervous system. When It’s A Cure: A recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who practiced meditation experienced lower systolic blood pressure, lower fasting blood glucose, and more stable insulin levels. When It’s A Crock: It should not be promoted as a means for curing depression or anxiety, but may help you better cope with stress. For a tutorial on all things ommmm, visit www.learningmeditation.com.

Hypnosis: How It Works: A practitioner induces a trance-like state of relaxation, blocking out distractions and allowing you to focus intently on a single thought or suggestion, an ideal state for changing attitudes or behaviors. When It’s A Cure: A landmark study revealed that hypnosis was as effective as morphine at relieving pain and that it may help control anxiety. Want to learn more visit The Unexplainable Store.

Guard Your Gaze: Most sunglasses are imperfect protectors against the sun’s rays. Glare that sneaks around the lenses can still burn your corneas and increase your risk of cataracts. Want to safeguard your sight? Pop in the new Acuvue Advance lens, which blocks 90 percent of UVA and 99 percent of UVB rays. The more protection, the better, says Susan Resnick, M.D., of the American Academy of Optometry. You won’t find us beach side or flagging down a ball in center field without them this summer.