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Pain is the condition for which adults in the United States most often use complementary and integrative health approaches. This includes musculoskeletal pain (back pain, neck pain, joint pain, etc.), headache, and pain associated with specific conditions (e.g., arthritis). The scientific evidence to date suggests that some complementary health approaches may provide modest, short-term effects that may help individuals manage the day-to-day variations in their chronic pain symptoms. In most instances, though, the amount of evidence is too small to clearly show whether an approach is useful.
General Information
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In the News: Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa)
Clinical Practice Guidelines
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Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain (link is external) (Annals of Internal Medicine)
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Low Back Pain: Clinical Practice Guidelines Linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (link is external) (Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy) [ PDF]
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Practice Parameter: Evidence-based Guidelines for Migraine Headache (link is external) (Neurology)
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Migraine Headaches in Children and Adolescents (Journal of Pediatric Health Care)
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Osteoarthritis of the Hip and Knee (link is external) (Osteoarthritis Cartilage) [5.2MB PDF]
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Osteoarthritis of the Knee (link is external) (The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) [1.39MB PDF]
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Chronic Pain Management (link is external) (Anesthesiology) [699KB PDF]
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Diagnosis and Treatment of Low-Back Pain (link is external) (Annals of Internal Medicine)
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Management of the Acute Migraine Headache (link is external) (American Family Physician)
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Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment for Low-Back Pain (Journal of the American Osteopathic Association)
Evidence-Based Medicine: Literature Reviews
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Systematic Reviews/Reviews/Meta-analyses (PubMed®)
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Randomized Controlled Trials (PubMed®)
Continuing Medical Education
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NCCIH Videolecture: International Perspectives on Acupuncture Research
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NCCIH Videolecture: Manipulating the Pain: Chiropractic and Other "Alternative" Treatments for Back Pain
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NCCIH Videolecture: Neural Basis of Mind-Body Pain Therapies
Research Spotlights
Chronic Pain
- Using Twitter To Learn About Patient-Provider Communication on Pain (12/26/19)
- Study Explores Clinical Management of New Cases of Musculoskeletal Pain (12/16/19)
- Nerve Cells in Mouse GI Tract Defend Against Infection (12/03/19)
- Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) May Reduce Opioid Cravings and Chronic Pain (08/05/19)
- PIEZO2 Ion Channel Presents New Target for Pain Research (10/10/18)
- Defining the Prevalence of Chronic Pain in the United States (09/14/18)
- Understanding the Influence of the Experimental Setting on Pain Ratings (08/25/18)
- Pain-Induced Changes in the Brain’s Opioid System May Explain the Limited Effectiveness of Opioid Therapy in Chronic Pain (05/22/18)