5 alternative medicine treatments that work

[Guest guest]

5 alternative medicine treatments that work By Cohen CNN

Empowered Patient is a regular feature from CNN Medical News

correspondent Cohen that helps put you in the driver's

seat when it comes to health care.

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Dr. Weil wasn't sure exactly how he

hurt his knee; all he knew was that it was painful. But instead of

turning to cortisone shots or heavy doses of pain medication, Weil

turned to the ancient Chinese medicine practice of acupuncture. " It

worked -- my knee felt much better, " says Weil.

Americans spend billions of dollars each year on alternative

medicine, everything from chiropractic care to hypnosis.

Weil says alternative medicine can work wonders -- acupuncture,

certain herbs, guided imagery.

For example, Dr. Berman, director of the Center for

Integrative Medicine at the University of land School of

Medicine, has done a series of studies showing acupuncture's

benefits for osteoarthritis of the knee.

Extensive studies have also been done on mind-body approaches such

as guided imagery, and on some herbs, including St. 's wort.

But on the other hand, there also is a lot of quackery out there,

Weil says. " I've seen it all, [including] products that claim to

increase sexual vigor, cure cancer and allay financial anxiety. "

So how do you know what works and what doesn't when it comes to

alternative medicine? Just a decade ago, there weren't many well-

done, independent studies on herbs, acupuncture, massage or

hypnosis, so patients didn't have many facts to guide them.

But in 1999, eight academic medical centers, including Harvard, Duke

and Stanford, banded together with the purpose of encouraging

research and education on alternative medicine. Eight years later,

the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine

has 38 member universities, and has gathered evidence about what

practices have solid science behind them.

Here, from experts at five of those universities, are five

alternative medicine practices that are among the most promising

because they have solid science behind them.

1. Acupuncture for pain

Hands, down, this was the No. 1 recommendation from our panel of

experts. They also recommended acupuncture for other problems,

including nausea after surgery and chemotherapy.

2.Calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B6 for PMS

When pre-menstrual syndrome rears its ugly head, gynecologist Dr.

Gaudet encourages her patients to take these dietary

supplements. " They can have a huge impact on moodiness, bloating,

and on heavy periods, " says Gaudet, who's the executive director of

Duke Integrative Medicine at Duke University Medical School.

3. St. 's Wort for depression

The studies are a bit mixed on this one, but our panel of experts

agreed this herb -- once thought to rid the body of evil spirits -

is definitely promising. " It's worth a try for mild to moderate

depression, " says Weil, founder and director of the Program in

Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. " Remember it will

take six to eight weeks to see an effect. " Remember, too, that St.

's wort can interfere with some medicines; the University of

land Medical Center has a list.

4. Guided imagery for pain and anxiety

" Go to your happy place " has become a cliché, but our experts say it

really works. The technique, of course, is more complicated than

that. " In guided imagery we invite you to relax and focus on

breathing and transport you mentally to a different place, " says

Jo Kreitzer, Ph.D., R.N., founder and director of the Center

for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota.

There's a guided imagery demo at the University of Minnesota's Web

site.

5. Glucosamine for joint pain

" It's safe, and it looks like it's effective, " says Dr. Frederick

Hecht, director of research at the Osher Center for Integrative

Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. " It may be

the first thing that actually reverses cartilage loss in

osteoarthritis. "

All our experts warn that since alternative medicine is financially

lucrative, a lot of charlatans have gotten into the business. They

have these tips for being a savvy shopper:

1. Look for " USP " or " NSF " on the labels

" The biggest mistake people make is they don't get a good product, "

says Dr. Hardy, medical director of the Sims/Mann-UCLA Center

for Integrative Oncology. She says the stamp of approval from the

United States Pharmacopoeia or NSF International, two groups with

independent verification programs, means what's on the label is in

the product.

2. Find a good practitioner

Make sure the alternative medicine practitioner you're going to is

actually trained to practice alternative medicine. One place to

start is the Consortium for Academic Health Centers for Integrative

Medicine

3. Be wary of crazy claims

" Anything that sounds too good to be true probably is, " says Weil.

And once you do start on your journey with alternative medicine,

here's a piece of advice: Take it slow. Alternative medicine works,

but sometimes not as quickly as taking a drug. " I tell people it's

going to take a while, " says Hardy. " I tell them to do a six- to

eight-week trial, or even 12 weeks. "