Posted on Feb 24, 2009

Complementary medicine refers to various types of medical care used to supplement more traditional forms of treatment. Complementary approaches include, but are not limited to: Acupuncture - Originating in China, this age-old practice involves inserting long, extremely slender needles into specific points along the body to relieve pain and discomfort. Biofeedback - This involves a learning process whereby certain visual or auditory (sound-based) feedback allows you to train yourself to initiate responses that help control or normalize your psychological response to pain. Chiropractic - According to the International Chiropractic Association, the primary focus of chiropractic is the detection, reduction and correction of spinal misalignments and nervous system dysfunction. Doctors of chiropractic attempt to get to the root cause of a health problem, rather than just treat the symptoms. Chiropractic seeks to maximize the natural strengths of the body and its capacity to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. Hypnosis - This involves entering an altered state of consciousness whereby suggestions inserted while in that state can lead to changes in behavior or, in the case of pain, altered physical sensations. Self-hypnosis involves inducing an altered state of consciousness — and thus controlling pain sensation — by yourself. Visual Imagery - The practice of using one's imagination to create mental pictures can help relieve pain – why it works isn't understood. Typically, this involves closing your eyes and imaging something like a healing energy washing over your body, or the "wires" to the pain being severed. The quality of research supporting these approaches varies from therapy to therapy.� In some cases, the research is of better quality than that supporting the use of some medications and many surgical procedures.� In other cases, the research is not as strong.� As with any treatment approach, use of complementary therapies should be discussed with your doctor. Many other techniques and over-the-counter alternative medicines, such as Chinese herbs, are on the market.� However, use caution when going to alternative practitioners who use these techniques since there is no firm scientific evidence of their usefulness in treating CRPS.� It's easy to fall victim to unscrupulous or uneducated practitioners when you are desperate to find pain relief. Unfortunately, unregulated delivery of health-care increases the risks of a bad treatment outcome, and the "cure" can sometimes be worse than the illness. Other therapies include: Homeopathic Medicine - Homeopathy is an alternative, non-toxic approach used to treat illness and relieve discomfort in a wide range of health conditions. Founded in Germany in the late-1860s, the practice of homeopathy is based on using the "law of similars" to stimulate a healing response — a principle that goes back to the days of Hippocrates. The law of similars states that a substance that will cause disease symptoms in a normal person can, when given in homeopathic dilutions to an ill individual, prompt the same set of symptoms to initiate a healing response. Homeopathic preparations, called remedies, must be prepared in a certain way, and the dilution used will depend on the symptoms being treated. Make sure you consult with your physician before taking traditional and homeopathic remedies at the same time. Mixing medications can result in harmful medical interactions. Therapeutic Massage - A form of massage that can help with muscle spasm and pain.� Its use in treating CRPS is limited by the presence of allodynia — or pain produced by normally non-painful stimulation, such as touch, gentle pressure or cold — in most CRPS patients. As a result, many CRPS patients cannot tolerate the squeezing of muscles in an involved area. Some pain medications, such as COX-2 inhibitors (Celebrex), may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. It's wise to discuss your individual risk profile with your doctor. Applying heat and cold. Applying cold may relieve swelling and sweating. If the affected area is cool, applying heat may offer relief. Capsaicin. This cream, made from the seeds of hot chili peppers, may relieve pain caused by nerve damage in early-stage complex regional pain syndrome. Your doctor may recommend applying the cream to the affected area several times daily. Capsaicin cream can be very irritating if rubbed on nonaffected parts of your body. Follow the application instructions carefully. You should be able to tell within a week whether the treatment is effective and tolerable. Physical therapy. Gentle, guided exercising of the affected limbs may improve range of motion and strength. The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the more effective exercises may be. Sympathetic nerve-blocking medication. Injection of an anesthetic to block pain fibers in your affected nerves may relieve pain in some people. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Chronic pain is sometimes eased by applying electrical impulses to nerve endings. Biofeedback. In some cases, learning biofeedback techniques may help. In biofeedback, you learn to become more aware of your body so that you can relax your body and relieve pain. Spinal cord stimulation. Your doctor inserts tiny electrodes along your spinal cord. A small electrical current delivered to the spinal cord sometimes results in pain relief.