The following is not a definitive guide to the alternative therapies available for pain relief. Instead, it lists those that have a reasonable, scientific body of evidence that suggests they have some success in reducing pain or getting rid of it altogether.
Acupuncture
Because of its analgesic effects, acupuncture is
probably the best known, and most popular, alternative therapy for pain
relief.
Scandinavian doctors reported dramatic results in osteoarthritis cases
that were so severe as to be scheduled for surgery. Despite such
advanced cases, monthly acupuncture was found to relieve as much as 80
per cent of the pain.
Another study showed that acupuncture is at least as effective as diazepam for relieving pain.
Electronic Stimulation
Electroacupuncture via the Codetron machine has also been shown to be
highly beneficial and just as effective as other forms of acupuncture,
though less effective than Transcutaneous Electronic Nerve Stimulation
(TENS).
Herbal medicine
Herbal medicine tends to treat specific
causes of pain, such as arthritis, although willow bark (Salix) is a
recognized general pain reliever. It was tested on 210 patients with
chronic back pain, who were given either a placebo or 120 mg or 240 mg
of oral willow bark. After four weeks, 39 per cent of those receiving
the higher dose were still reporting no pain, compared with 21 per cent
of those taking the lower dose and six per cent of those taking
placebo. More of the placebo group also needed to supplement with a
painkiller.
Electromagnetism
A century ago, electromagnetic fields were
used extensively in medicine, but this died out when the drug-based
approach to disease took over. In the last 20 years, however, their use
has begun a tentative comeback. To date, their major medical
application has been in orthopedic bone fractures. For unknown reasons,
magnetic fields can speed up the natural bone-healing process.