Alternative Treatments

by Heath and Nicole Reed Osteoarthritis is a painful joint disorder involving inflammation and the loss of healthy cartilage in one or more joints. By far, the most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is also known as degenerative joint disease. May is National Arthritis Awareness Month—and since osteoarthritis is a growing problem in the U.S., massage therapists need to know how their touch benefits the many clients suffering pain from arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 27 million American adults have received an osteoarthritis diagnosis—and this number is rising, particularly as our society ages and becomes more sedentary. Conventional medical treatments for arthritis include pharmaceutical medication and surgery and have limited [...]

By: KARI OAKES, Family Practice News Digital Network JUNE 20, 2016 [email protected] On Twitter @karioakes SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. – Simple, effective, nonpharmacologic therapies can significantly augment pharmacotherapy for patients with treatment-resistant depression, according to Dr. Mark Hyman Rapaport. More complex complementary approaches are being explored and may hold promise as part of the future of precision medicine, but well-tested strategies can still help many patients, he said. Speaking at a session focused on treatment-resistant depression at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Dr. Rapaport, chairman of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and Reunette W. Harris Professor at Emory University, Atlanta, began with the basics. Massage can effectively improve mood for individuals with depression as well. In [...]