<p>Yoga, tai chi and acupuncture - some of the most popular non-drug health approaches - may be effective tools for managing chronic pain conditions such as back and neck pain, osteoarthritis and migraines, new research has found.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Millions of Americans suffer from persistent pain that may not be fully relieved by medications, researchers said.<br /><br />They often turn to complementary health approaches to help, yet primary care providers have lacked a robust evidence base to guide recommendations on complementary approaches as practiced and available in the US.<br /><br />The study gives primary care providers - who frequently see patients with chronic pain - tools to inform decision-making on how to help manage that pain.<br /><br />"For many Americans who suffer from chronic pain, medications may not completely relieve pain and can produce unwanted side effects. As a result, many people may turn to nondrug approaches to help manage their pain," said Richard L Nahin, from the US National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).<br /><br />"Our goal for this study was to provide relevant, high-quality information for primary care providers and for patients who suffer from chronic pain," said Nahin.<br /><br />The researchers reviewed 105 US-based trials, from the past 50 years, that were relevant to pain patients in the United States and met inclusion criteria.<br /><br />Although the reporting of safety information was low overall, none of the clinical trials reported significant side effects due to the interventions.<br /><br />The review focused on trial results on seven approaches used for one or more of five painful conditions - back pain, osteoarthritis, neck pain, fibromyalgia and severe headaches and migraine - and found promise in the safety and effectiveness in treating pain.<br /><br />Researchers found that acupuncture and yoga help manage back pain, while tai chi was effective for osteoarthritis of the knee.<br /><br />They also found that massage therapy, spinal manipulation and osteopathic manipulation may provide some help for back pain, and relaxation approaches and tai chi might help people with fibromyalgia.<br /><br />"These data can equip providers and patients with the information they need to have informed conversations regarding non-drug approaches for treatment of specific pain conditions," said David Shurtleff, deputy director of NCCIH.<br /><br />The research was published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.</p>
<p>Yoga, tai chi and acupuncture - some of the most popular non-drug health approaches - may be effective tools for managing chronic pain conditions such as back and neck pain, osteoarthritis and migraines, new research has found.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Millions of Americans suffer from persistent pain that may not be fully relieved by medications, researchers said.<br /><br />They often turn to complementary health approaches to help, yet primary care providers have lacked a robust evidence base to guide recommendations on complementary approaches as practiced and available in the US.<br /><br />The study gives primary care providers - who frequently see patients with chronic pain - tools to inform decision-making on how to help manage that pain.<br /><br />"For many Americans who suffer from chronic pain, medications may not completely relieve pain and can produce unwanted side effects. As a result, many people may turn to nondrug approaches to help manage their pain," said Richard L Nahin, from the US National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).<br /><br />"Our goal for this study was to provide relevant, high-quality information for primary care providers and for patients who suffer from chronic pain," said Nahin.<br /><br />The researchers reviewed 105 US-based trials, from the past 50 years, that were relevant to pain patients in the United States and met inclusion criteria.<br /><br />Although the reporting of safety information was low overall, none of the clinical trials reported significant side effects due to the interventions.<br /><br />The review focused on trial results on seven approaches used for one or more of five painful conditions - back pain, osteoarthritis, neck pain, fibromyalgia and severe headaches and migraine - and found promise in the safety and effectiveness in treating pain.<br /><br />Researchers found that acupuncture and yoga help manage back pain, while tai chi was effective for osteoarthritis of the knee.<br /><br />They also found that massage therapy, spinal manipulation and osteopathic manipulation may provide some help for back pain, and relaxation approaches and tai chi might help people with fibromyalgia.<br /><br />"These data can equip providers and patients with the information they need to have informed conversations regarding non-drug approaches for treatment of specific pain conditions," said David Shurtleff, deputy director of NCCIH.<br /><br />The research was published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.</p>