Archive
Chronic Pain and Complementary Health Practices
Chronic Pain and Complementary Health Practices
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Millions of Americans suffer from pain that is chronic, severe, and not easily managed. Pain from arthritis, back problems, other musculoskeletal conditions, and headache costs U.S. businesses more than $61 billion a year in lost worker productivity.
Pain is the most common health problem for which adults use complementary health practices. Many people with conditions causing chronic pain turn to these practices to supplement other conventional medical treatment, or when their pain is resistant or in an effort to advert side effects of medications. Despite the widespread use of complementary health practices for chronic pain, scientific evidence on efficacy and mechanisms—whether the therapies help the conditions for which they are used and, if so, how—is, for the most part, limited. However, the evidence base is growing, especially for several complementary health practices most commonly used by people to lessen pain.
This issue highlights the research status for several therapies used for common kinds of pain, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, headache, low-back pain, and neck pain.
Spinal Manipulation for Low-Back Pain
Spinal Manipulation for Low-Back Pain
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Low-back pain (often referred to as “lower back pain”) is a common condition that usually improves with self-care (practices that people can do by themselves, such as remaining active, applying heat, and taking pain-relieving medications). However, it is occasionally difficult to treat. Some health care professionals are trained to use a technique called spinal manipulation to relieve low-back pain and improve physical function (the ability to walk and move). This fact sheet provides basic information about low-back pain, summarizes research on spinal manipulation for low-back pain, and suggests sources for additional information.
Red Yeast Rice: An Introduction
Red Yeast Rice: An Introduction
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Red yeast rice is a traditional Chinese culinary and medicinal product. In the United States, dietary supplements containing red yeast rice have been marketed to help lower blood levels of cholesterol and related lipids. Red yeast rice products may not be safe; some may have the same side effects as certain cholesterol-lowering drugs, and some may contain a potentially harmful contaminant. This fact sheet provides basic information about red yeast rice, summarizes scientific research on effectiveness and safety, discusses the legal status of red yeast rice, and suggests sources for additional information.
Backgrounder — Tai Chi: An Introduction
Tai Chi: An Introduction
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Tai chi, which originated in China as a martial art, is a mind-body practice in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Tai chi is sometimes referred to as “moving meditation”—practitioners move their bodies slowly, gently, and with awareness, while breathing deeply. This Backgrounder provides a general overview of tai chi and suggests sources for additional information.
March 29‐30, 2012 Meeting of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity to Review Revised Manuscripts on Transmissibility of A/H5N1 Influenza Virus — Statement of the NSABB
March 29‐30, 2012 Meeting of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity to Review Revised Manuscripts on Transmissibility of A/H5N1 Influenza Virus — Statement of the NSABB (PDF)
Source: National Institutes of Health, Office of Science Policy
The United States Department of Health and Human Services convened the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) on March 29‐30, 2012, to examine two revised manuscripts regarding the transmissibility of A/H5N1 influenza virus (avian flu) in ferrets. Earlier versions of these manuscripts had been submitted for publication in Science and Nature and were reviewed by the Board.
The NSABB is an independent federal advisory committee chartered to provide advice and guidance on the biosecurity oversight of dual use research to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, and all federal entities that conduct, support or have an interest in life sciences research. Dual use research is defined as biological research with legitimate scientific purpose that may be misused to pose a threat to public health and/or national security.
The Board was asked to consider the revised manuscripts from Dr. Ron Fouchier of Erasmus Medical Center and Dr. Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin and to recommend whether the information they contain should be communicated and, if so, to what extent. In their evaluation, the Board used analytical tools that it previously developed for considering the risks and benefits associated with the communication of dual use research of concern (available at www.biosecurityboard.gov). After careful deliberation, the NSABB unanimously recommended that this revised Kawaoka manuscript should be communicated in full. The NSABB also recommended, in a 12 to 6 decision, the communication of the data, methods, and conclusions presented in this revised Fouchier manuscript.
See also: US Government Issues Policy on Oversight of Life Science Dual Use Resarch of Concern (PDF)
Report to the nation finds continuing declines in cancer death rates since the early 1990s; Feature highlights cancers associated with excess weight and lack of sufficient physical activity
Source: National Cancer Institute
Death rates from all cancers combined for men, women, and children continued to decline in the United States between 2004 and 2008, according to the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975-2008. The overall rate of new cancer diagnoses, also known as incidence, among men decreased by an average of 0.6 percent per year between 2004 and 2008. Overall cancer incidence rates among women declined 0.5 percent per year from 1998 through 2006 with rates leveling off from 2006 through 2008.
The report is co-authored by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the National Cancer Institute, and the American Cancer Society. It appeared early online on March 28, 2012, in the journal CANCER.
The special feature section highlights the effects of excess weight and lack of physical activity on cancer risk. Esophageal adenocarcinoma, cancers of the colon and rectum, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, endometrial cancer, and breast cancer among postmenopausal women are associated with being overweight or obese. Several of these cancers also are associated with not being sufficiently physically active.
The Flu, the Common Cold, and Complementary Health Practices
The Flu, the Common Cold, and Complementary Health Practices
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Each year, approximately 5 to 20 percent of Americans come down with the flu. Although most recover without incident, flu-related complications result in more than 200,000 hospitalizations and between 3,000 and 49,000 deaths each year. Colds generally do not cause serious complications, but they are among the leading reasons for visiting a doctor and for missing school or work.
To prevent or treat these illnesses, some people turn to complementary health practices such as herbs or vitamins and minerals. This issue provides information on “what the science says” about some of these practices for the flu and for the common cold, including zinc, vitamin C, echinacea, and probiotics.
Adaptations of Avian Flu Virus Are a Cause for Concern
Adaptations of Avian Flu Virus Are a Cause for ConcernSource: U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (via Science)
Risk assessment of public harm is challenging because it necessitates consideration of the intent and capability of those who wish to do harm, as well as the vulnerability of the public and the status of public health preparedness for both deliberate and accidental events. We found the potential risk of public harm to be of unusually high magnitude. In formulating our recommendations to the government, scientific journals, and the broader scientific community, we tried to balance the great risks against the benefits that could come from making the details of this research known. Because the NSABB found that there was significant potential for harm in fully publishing these results and that the harm exceeded the benefits of publication, we therefore recommended that the work not be fully communicated in an open forum. The NSABB was unanimous that communication of the results in the two manuscripts it reviewed should be greatly limited in terms of the experimental details and results. This is an unprecedented recommendation for work in the mammal-adapted influenza A/H5N1 viruses for harmful purposes. We believe that as scientists and as members of the general public, we have a primary responsibility “to do no harm” as well as to act prudently and with some humility as we consider the immense power of the life sciences to create microbes with novel and unusually consequential properties. At the same time, we acknowledge that there are clear benefits to be realized for the public good in alerting humanity of this potential threat and in pursuing those aspects of this work that will allow greater preparedness and the potential development of novel strategies leading to future disease control. By recommending that the basic result be communicated without methods or details, we believe that the benefits to society are maximized and the risks minimized.
Although scientists pride themselves on the creation of scientific literature that defines careful methodology that would allow other scientists to replicate experiments, we do not believe that widespread dissemination of the methodology in this case is a responsible action. life sciences, and our analysis was conducted with careful consideration both of the potential benefits of publication and of the potential harm that could occur from such a precedent. Our concern is that publishing these experiments in detail would provide information to some person, organization, or government that would help them to develop similar mammal-adapted influenza A/H5N1 viruses for harmful purposes. We believe that as scientists and as members of the general public, we have a primary responsibility “to do no harm” as well as to act prudently and with some humility as we consider the immense power of the life sciences to create microbes with novel and unusually consequential properties. At the same time, we acknowledge that there are clear benefits to be realized for the public good in alerting humanity of this potential threat and in pursuing those aspects of this work that will allow greater preparedness and the potential development of novel strategies leading to future disease control. By recommending that the basic result be communicated without methods or details, we believe that the benefits to society are maximized and the risks minimized. Although scientists pride themselves on the creation of scientific literature that defines careful methodology that would allow other scientists to replicate experiments, we do not believe that widespread dissemination of the methodology in this case is a responsible action.
Herbs at a Glance: Cinnamon
Herbs at a Glance: Cinnamon
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
This fact sheet provides basic information about cinnamon — common names, what the science says, potential side effects and cautions, and resources for more information.
Children’s Health — NICHD posts map of state-by-state funding for research
An interactive map with information about NICHD funding for research projects in the United States is now available on a new page of the NICHD Web site,at: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/overview/approp/fundstate.cfm.The new map lists funding for each fiscal year from 2003 to 2011 by state, district or territory, or by congressional district. The new page also includes a table listing NICHD funding by state, and a link to a downloadable table of NICHD funding awards by state, congressional district, and institution receiving an award.
The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction (brochure)
The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction (PDF)
Source: National Institute of Mental Health
One of the ways that scientists have searched for the causes of mental illness is by studying the development of the brain from birth to adulthood. Powerful new technologies have enabled them to track the growth of the brain and to investigate the connections between brain function, development, and behavior.
The research has turned up some surprises, among them the discovery of striking changes taking place during the teen years. These findings have altered long-held assumptions about the timing of brain maturation. In key ways, the brain doesn’t look like that of an adult until the early 20s.
An understanding of how the brain of an adolescent is changing may help explain a puzzling contradiction of adolescence: young people at this age are close to a lifelong peak of physical health, strength, and mental capacity, and yet, for some, this can be a hazardous age. Mortality rates jump between early and late adolescence. Rates of death by injury between ages 15 to 19 are about six times that of the rate between ages 10 and 14. Crime rates are highest among young males and rates of alcohol abuse are high relative to other ages. Even though most adolescents come through this transitional age well, it’s important to understand the risk factors for behavior that can have serious consequences. Genes, childhood experience, and the environment in which a young person reaches adolescence all shape behavior. Adding to this complex picture, research is revealing how all these factors act in the context of a brain that is changing, with its own impact on behavior.
Headaches and Complementary Health Practices
Headaches and Complementary Health Practices
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Headaches are one of the most common forms of pain. More than 45 million Americans have headaches severe enough to require the help of a health care professional. Headaches occur when pain-sensitive nerve endings around the scalp, in the blood vessels that surround the skull, in the lining around the brain, and in other areas around the head send impulses to the part of the brain that interprets pain signals from the rest of the body. Some headaches are related to tender spots in head, neck, and shoulder muscles.
Researchers are studying treatments for different types of headaches, including a number of complementary health practices. This issue provides information on “what the science says” about the effectiveness and safety of selected complementary health practices for headaches, including relaxation training, biofeedback, acupuncture, tai chi, cognitive-behavioral therapy, massage, spinal manipulation, and dietary supplements.
A Parent’s Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder
A Parent’s Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder
Source: National Institute of Mental Health
This guide is intended to help parents understand what autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is, recognize common signs and symptoms, and find the resources they need. It’s important to remember that help is available.
Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders
Source: National Institute of Mental Health
A detailed booklet that describes the symptoms, causes, and treatments of eating disorders.
NIH releases best practices for combining qualitative and quantitative research
NIH releases best practices for combining qualitative and quantitative research
Source: National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health today released recommendations or best practices for scientists conducting mixed methods health research. Mixed methods research combines the strengths of quantitative research and qualitative research. Despite the increased interest in mixed methods research in health fields and at NIH, prior to this report, there was limited guidance to help scientists developing applications for NIH funding that featured mixed methods designs, nor was there guidance for the reviewers at NIH who assess the quality of these applications.
The recommendations were created by John W. Creswell and Vicki L. Plano Clark of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Ann Carroll Klassen, Drexel University, Philadelphia; and Katherine Clegg Smith, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. Additional input for the recommendations came from a diverse working group of scientists with expertise in research methodology from diverse fields such as public health, nursing and medicine. The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), part of NIH, identified the need for this guidance and commissioned the report.
Multi-pronged strategies that address both prevention and treatment are critical to effectively tackling today’s most pressing public health problems, including obesity, health disparities among populations, poor adherence to treatments, and many other problems. Teams of scientists working together on the genetic, societal and behavioral causes of such problems require rigorous data to understand and effectively address these problems. This often requires both quantitative and qualitative data.
Quantitative research typically examines relationships among variables and can come from randomized clinical trials, experiments and surveys. Qualitative research helps scientists understand the meaning of processes and generates new theories by examining the role of contexts and experiences in detail through focus groups, record reviews, and interviews. Mixed methods research combines these methods and capitalizes on the strengths of both.
See also: HHS Tightens Financial Conflict of Interest Rules for Researchers
The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction
The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction
Source: National Institute of Mental Health
This brochure describes changes in the brain that occur during the teen years, and the significance of this stage of development.
Drugged Driving Research: A White Paper
Drugged Driving Research: A White Paper (PDF)
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Drugged driving is a significant public health and public safety problem in the United States and abroad, as documented through a growing body of research. Among the research conducted in the US is the 2009 finding that 33% of fatally injured drivers with known drug test results were positive for drugs other than alcohol. Among randomly stopped weekend nighttime drivers who provided oral fluid and/or blood specimens in 2007, 16.3% were positive for drugs. While these and other emerging data demonstrate the drugged driving problem, the US has lagged behind other nations in both drugged driving research and enforcement.
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) 2010 National Drug Control Strategy established as a priority reducing drugged driving in the United States. To achieve the Strategy’s goal of reducing drugged driving by 10% by 2015, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) enlisted the Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc. (IBH) to review the current state of knowledge about drugged driving and to develop a comprehensive research plan for future research that would hold the promise of making a significant impact by 2015. IBH convened an expert committee to develop this report. Committee members included top leaders across a broad spectrum of related disciplines including research, public policy, enforcement and law.
NCCAM Clinical Digest: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and CAM
NCCAM Clinical Digest: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and CAM
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disorder that interferes with the normal functions of the colon. IBS is characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. IBS is challenging to study because its symptoms vary and may disappear for long periods, and because people with IBS tend to respond well to placebos.
This issue summarizes research on some of the most popular complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies people try to treat symptoms of IBS. Overall, although there is some emerging evidence suggesting that some CAM therapies may be helpful for IBS, there have been few large well-designed studies, and most of the studies have had methodological flaws. Systematic reviews generally conclude that more well-designed studies are needed to firmly establish whether CAM therapies are helpful treatments for IBS.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: What People Aged 50 and Older Discuss With Their Health Care Providers
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: What People Aged 50 and Older Discuss With Their Health Care Providers
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Do Americans aged 50 and older discuss the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with their health care providers? To help answer this question, AARP and NCCAM partnered on a telephone survey of over 1,000 people aged 50 and older. Just over half of those surveyed reported using complementary and alternative medicine and over a third take some type of herbal product or dietary supplement. Yet only a third of all respondents and a little over half of CAM users said they have ever discussed CAM with their health care providers. These findings highlight the need for providers to ask about CAM use at every patient visit and the need for people aged 50 and older to know that CAM use is something that is important to discuss with their conventional medical providers.
+ Full Report (PDF)
Suicide in America: Frequently Asked Questions
Suicide in America: Frequently Asked Questions
Source: National Institute of Mental Health
A brief overview of the statistics on depression and suicide with information on depression treatments and suicide prevention
