Rheumatic Diseases

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendation for yoga as an ancillary intervention in rheumatic diseases. METHODS: Medline/PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library and IndMED were searched through February 2013. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing yoga with control interventions in patients with rheumatic diseases were included. Two authors independently assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane Back Review Group risk of bias tool.

This paper reviews the evidence for mind-body therapies (eg, relaxation, meditation, imagery, cognitive-behavioral therapy) in the treatment of pain-related medical conditions and suggests directions for future research in these areas.

This paper reviews the evidence for mind-body therapies (eg, relaxation, meditation, imagery, cognitive-behavioral therapy) in the treatment of pain-related medical conditions and suggests directions for future research in these areas.

This paper reviews the evidence for mind-body therapies (eg, relaxation, meditation, imagery, cognitive-behavioral therapy) in the treatment of pain-related medical conditions and suggests directions for future research in these areas.

Individuals with rheumatic disorders, particularly those with more severe, chronic conditions, are likely to be frequent users of complementary and alternative medical therapies. Although large-scale clinical trials have yet to be conducted, there is moderately strong evidence that acupuncture may be effective for treating both osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. The utility of acupuncture in treating rheumatoid arthritis has not been demonstrated in large, randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: Several systematic reviews (SRs) have assessed the effectiveness of acupuncture for rheumatic conditions, often with contradictory conclusions. Our aim is to provide a critical evaluation and summary of these data. METHODS: Electronic searches were conducted in 15 databases to locate all SRs on acupuncture for rheumatic conditions published since 2000. Data were extracted by the authors according to pre-defined criteria. RESULTS: We found 30 SRs that met our inclusion criteria.

Moxibustion, an acupuncture-like intervention, is increasingly used in the management of rheumatic conditions. The aim of this review is to summarize and critically evaluate the trials testing effectiveness of moxibustion for major rheumatic conditions. Fourteen databases were searched from their inception through May 2010, without language restriction. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included if moxibustion was used as the sole treatment or as a part of a combination therapy with conventional drugs for rheumatic conditions. Cochrane criteria were used to assess the risk of bias.

It has been recognized that the remarkable decline in infant mortality and the extension in human lifespan involving both developing and developed countries alike, has been influenced by social and economic developments and public health orientated measures (such as clean water and sewerage) rather more than by developments in medical research. However, the identification of important disease risk factors for a number of common conditions such as smoking, solar exposure, dietary fat and alcohol has led to further reductions in disease prevalence and mortality, at least in some countries.

Organic pathologies with psychoaffective aetiology are numerous, and in all diseases, mental and rational elements are concomitant with the organic situation. Aware of the psycho-dynamic mechanisms he sets in motion by his actions and appreciating those underlying the symptomatology he has to deal with, the hypnologist transcends the overspecialisation of medical science to restore the patient's psycho-physical unitary reality. This explains both the possibilities of hypnositherapy in general medicine and its impassable limits.