Unconventional medicine has gone mainstream: More than 62% of U.S. adults have tried some form of alternative therapy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And according to another study, 70 percent of older adults use alternatives medicine. But that doesn't mean they've had success.
Curious whether popular alternative medicines are indeed a cure or crock? In the latest issue of Men's Health magazine, Dr. Steven Lamm shares which therapies are effective why they are popular:
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.
Works for: Muscular skeletal pains, arthritis
Doesn’t work for: Migraines and obesity, and strokes
There is some data that suggests that acupuncture can be useful for knee pain, or back pain, or arthritis. But it’s questionable when it comes to smoke cessation, or when you are trying to treat an underlying disease, it may delay symptoms but won't eliminate them. But it’s hard for docs to really prescribe alternative medicines because we are not taught to understand how sticking a needle into someone's head could help migraines.
But what's dangerous is when patients don't even go to a doctor for a diagnosis. They diagnose themselves, they go onto WebMD, or they talk to a couple of friends who say "oh I have the exact same thing" and they go to acupuncturist, this is crazy.
Massage 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.
Works for: Facilitating recovery, vigorous athletic activity
Doesn’t work for: Neck pain, premenstrual syndrome
Massage therapy can facilitate a recovery of fatigued muscles from athletic activity. It is most commonly intended to improve circulation. But sometimes people just need to be touched.
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.
Works for: Low back syndrome it can be helpful, muscular skeletal issues.
Doesn’t work for: Asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure
Chiropractors can help with lower back pain, but it’s dangerous when these doctors tell you that they can heal anything serious like asthma or high blood pressure there is no data to suggest this.
Meditation
Works for: This mind-body practice uses breathing and focusing techniques to create what researchers call the "relaxation response,” which may reduce the activity of the autonomic nervous system. It helps high blood pressure, anxiety disorders, and good for hypertension — there's no downside.
I think this therapy is underutilized: if we could teach people to meditate on a regular basis, it would be helpful for blood pressure, relaxation -- people in medical profession will buy into this! There is really no downside because it promotes wellness, in some cases meditation is the best source of preventative medicine.
Hypnosis
How it works: A practitioner induces a trancelike 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.
Works for: Post traumatic stress disorders, anxiety disorder and smoke cessation, irritable bowl, chest pain
Doesn’t work for: migraines, asthma or diabetes.
Bottom Line: Alternative medicine is not the right word; we should call them complementary treatments as it should complement a medical diagnosis. The mission for doctors should be to use any modality that improves the quality of life of patients. The medical profession has been limiting themselves...because there is a huge body of experience with complementary treatments.
The problem is when people diagnose themselves — they don't get a medical diagnosis for their ailment. When people are using a lot of alternative therapy, they are trying to treat a symptom, without a diagnosis. They say "Oh I'm going to get acupuncture for my headaches", when they really have a sinus problem that can be treated medically.
About Dr. Steven Lamm
Dr. Lamm, a graduate of Columbia University and NYU School of Medicine, is the author of "The Hardness Factor" and is an internist with a private medical practice in New York City. For more information, visit his website, The Hardness Factor.