Are alternative medicines such as acupuncture or hypnosis an effective pain relief?
Many complementary therapies have been found to be useful as part of an overall pain management regime. Hypnotherapy,including self hypnosis can be used as part of a relaxation technique. Acupuncture and acupressure may be helpful in the management of chronic headaches, migraine and muscle pain syndromes. Homoeopathy is generally being shown to be of no benefit. There are a large number of other therapies which are being offered at a variety of costs. Many of them have not been proven to be of any benefit, and the majority of these have not been subjected to clinical trials to show whether or not there is any benefit. It is important to tell your doctor if you are using any form of herbal medicines as these may interact with other prescribed drugs. It is important to remember that when using natural remedies, natural does not mean safe.
