Complementary And Alternative Therapy For Pain Disorders From Bench To Clinical Practice

Download or read book Complementary and Alternative Therapy for Pain Disorders: From Bench to Clinical Practice written by Qinhong Zhang and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2024-12-17 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pain disorders pose significant challenges to global health and have a profound impact on the quality of life. It is estimated that approximately 20% of adults globally experience pain disorders, with 10% being newly diagnosed with chronic pain each year. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the main components of today’s first-line pain treatments, which largely combat inflammation and nociception. However, long-term consumption of these drugs often leads to various side effects and drug addiction. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate alternative pain management strategies with fewer adverse effects. Complementary and alternative therapy (CAT) as a viable option for pain control is becoming more widely acknowledged. CAT encompasses various modalities, including but not limited to transcutaneous electrical stimulation, herbal medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, Tuina, Gua Sha, moxibustion, Qigong, Tai Chi, acupoint catgut embedding, acupotomy, yoga, and meditation. Despite its growing acceptance, the effects and underlying scientific mechanisms of CAT for pain disorders remain incompletely understood, limiting its widespread use in clinical practice.