Complementary Medicine More Popular Than Ever
posted by on Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Do you get massages? Would you consider visiting a chiropractor for your back pain? Are you interested in non-surgical, non-drug complementary medicine alternatives for treating common conditions?
If you’re like most Americans, the answer is yes. According to a recent report by Scrip Companies, complementary medicine is not only more popular than ever, but is also one of the fastest-growing health care fields.
More than 40 percent of Americans turn to complementary medicine to help treat specific conditions, totaling up to a $9 billion market. In addition, 42 percent of hospitals say they offer one or more complementary medicine therapies.
A Growing Trend
Alternatives such as massage therapy, chiropractic, low-level laser therapy and dietary supplements are becoming increasingly accepted. Why? There are several reasons. First is the trend toward patient-centric medicine. Complementary medicine, after all, tends to focus on the whole person, emphasizing natural healing and prevention rather than drugs or surgery.
Second, as baby boomers age, they are experiencing more chronic conditions. Pain and injury prevention, post-surgical treatment and non-invasive pain relief are several areas where complementary medicine can help. And since health care reform is pushing us all to take a closer look at our health care costs, many have noted that these alternatives are often offered at a lower cost than traditional medicine.
Today, baby boomers and others are increasingly choosing dietary supplements, chiropractic manipulation, yoga, massage and other modalities, making these the most popular complementary medicine alternatives being offered today.
Proven Benefits
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is one of the most rapidly growing technologies in this field, used in chiropractic, physical therapy, sports medicine and mainstream medicine. Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of LLLT in safely reducing pain and inflammation without the use of drugs (or their side effects). It also has applications in wound healing, tissue regeneration, preventing tissue death, and mitigating degeneration in neurological conditions.
Massages make you feel good, literally. Massage therapy has been show to increase endorphins and serotonin, which act as natural pain killers and mood enhancers. It also reduces level of the stress hormone cortisol, helping to relieve muscle soreness. Deep massage activates the vagus nerve, which can help relieve depression, and 44 percent of chemotherapy patients report that massage helps reduce nausea, pain and anxiety (a side benefit is that it also raises the level of cancer-fighting white blood cells).
With 80 percent of Americans suffering from back pain at some time in their lives, it’s no surprise that chiropractic is another popular complementary medicine modality. Studies have shown that chiropractic manipulation can be more effective in relieving pain than over-the-counter medications: After 12 weeks, 75 percent of patients treated by chiropractic reported at least 75 percent reduction in pain, compared to only 30 percent in the drug group.
The Future of Complementary Medicine
As we age, it’s anticipated that more of us will suffer from pain and other chronic conditions that will decrease our mobility and reduce our quality of life. Complementary medicine offers a method of self-care that has been proven to help reduce pain and improve mobility. The growing popularity of these therapies offers an opportunity for traditional medicine to incorporate these practices and deliver health care and prevention that better supports the needs and desires of patients.