Caution, always a wise course, applies to complementary medicine as well.
By Tammy Worth
It’s unlikely that Americans will lose their love affair with complementary medicine, so the best thing to do is to make the practice as safe as possible. In addition to talking with a healthcare professional about whatever herbs, homeopathy or therapies you may be using, follow these safety tips offered by complementary medicine experts:

Assess the likelihood of danger. A good way to assess a treatment is to consider its potential to cause harm. Breathing exercises are much less likely to cause damage than an intravenous therapy.

Look at how long an approach has been used. A 1,000-year-old practice such as acupuncture is more likely to be effective and safe than newer, faddier ones. …

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A new study by The George Institute for International Health has found Tai Chi to have positive health benefits for musculoskeletal pain. The results of the first comprehensive analysis of Tai Chi suggest that it produces positive effects for improving pain and disability among arthritis sufferers. The researchers are now embarking on a new trial to establish if similar benefits can be seen among people with chronic low back pain.

More than 2.2 million people in Britain suffer from type 2 diabetes*, a chronic progressive disease which usually affects the over 40s. The number of people diagnosed with the disease has increased dramatically in recent years and this has been linked to the increase in sedentary lifestyles and obesity.

A small study published in Acupuncture Medicine reports that acupuncture may be beneficial in easing symptoms of indigestion which are very frequent in pregnant women. The hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy cause heartburn, stomach pain and discomfort, reflux, belching and bloating. Between 45 to 80 percent of women are reported to experience those symptoms. The symptoms are likely to increase with the evolution of the pregnancy.

The results of a new analysis have provided good evidence to suggest that Tai Chi is beneficial for arthritis. Specifically, it was shown to decrease pain with trends towards improving overall physical health, level of tension and satisfaction with health status. Musculoskeletal pain, such as that experienced by people with arthritis, places a severe burden on the patient and community and is recognized as an international health priority.