Painkiller alerts give alternatives a boost

Gwenn Herman knows chronic pain - the backaches, stiffness and freezing of her neck after her 1995 car accident, the pain that didn't respond, or responded inconsistently, to prescription and nonprescription painkillers.

That's why she learned, long before last month's rash of safety alerts about three commonly used pain medications, to explore alternative treatments like meditation, guided imagery and breathing exercises. Today, she teaches the techniques to support groups sponsored by the Pain Connection, a Potomac, Md.-based nonprofit she runs.

"What works for one person doesn't work for another," Herman said. "The more alternatives, the better."

...highly advertised pain drugs Vioxx and Celebrex and, more recently, the popular over-the-counter painkiller Aleve (naproxen) to potentially life-threatening side effects. The safety concerns led to Vioxx's removal from the market at the end of September and the halting of a major clinical trial for Celebrex last month.... Debate on effectiveness... study found that acupuncture - a 2,000-year-old Eastern practice that involves insertion of thin needles at specific points on the body - appeared to help relieve pain and improve function for knee osteoarthritis... "They may need less of the medication, which may mean less side effects." ...

Mind-body therapies ... Meditation: ... Biofeedback: ... Hypnosis: ... Cognitive behavioral therapy: ... Hands-on treatments ... Exercise and movement therapy: ... Osteopathic manipulation: ... Chiropractic treatments: ... Massage:

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Office of Dietary Supplements
SOURCE: The washington post