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Alternative Arthritis Therapies: Chiropractic and Massage

Summary & Participants

Conventional medical treatments for arthritis have come a long way in recent years. But many people suffering from arthritis pain have found additional comfort in so-called "alternative" or "complementary" therapies. How effective are they? And more importantly, how safe? Join our panel of experts as they discuss these therapies, and how they should be used.

Medically Reviewed On: July 10, 2008

Webcast Transcript

IFEOMA OKORONKWO, MD: Indeed, I agree. I think that's actually very well said. It's important, once again, to use your physician as springboard to integrate these alternative forms into their practice. For example, in many arthritic forms, the joints are unstable and chiropractic manipulation can frankly be quite dangerous. So it is really at the approval, so to speak, and agreement as a team between the physician and the patient that you should embark on some of these other therapies.

Chiropractic, as Allan mentioned, does use the concept of manipulation to stimulate the nerves and align the body. It is said to release muscle tension, increase blood flow at times.

DAVID MARKS, MD: And that leads to massage; talking about stimulating blood flow. Is that how it works for arthritis?

IFEOMA OKORONKWO, MD: Well, how does it work is an interesting concept. That is certainly the theory. The deep massage of the tissues in various ways - I say deep massage, but that's only one approach. You can have gentle massage that can also, according to massage therapists, lead to a good therapeutic result. But yes, the increase in blood flow, the drainage of lymphatic system is all sort of said to be part of the efficacy of massage therapy.

ALLAN GIBOFSKY, MD: An integral part to all of the therapies and probably one of the factors involved in their success is the fact that in all of the things that we have been talking about so far, the physician puts her hands on the patient. There is no substitute for putting your hand on the patient and reassuring the patient with your compassion, with your concern, with the gentleness of your touch that you're going to be personally involved in her care. To the extent that chiropracty does this, it is part of the efficacy. To the extent that massage does this, it is part of the efficacy.

There are other reason that these things work, but I believe that part of the reasons that they work is because we're putting the hands of the healer on the patient.

DAVID MARKS, MD: But some of these things may work for some people. The story is that we really need to study them further to see really which ones are more effective and which ones aren't.

ALLAN GIBOFSKY, MD: And when they do work, or when our patients think they work, as long as they are not harming the patient, we need to keep an open mind. I have patients who ask me, "Should I wear a copper bracelet." My response to them is "Absolutely wear a copper bracelet, and remember to put it on when you're reaching for the medication that I prescribed to you." If a medication is working, fine. But if an integrative therapy - and I really love that word. I'm going to begin using it more and more. If an integrative therapy does no harm - and that's the first rubric of our profession, above all do no harm - we really need to be more open-minded and to encourage our patients to make use of what works for them.

DAVID MARKS, MD: Well that's going to be the last word. Thank you both for joining us. And thank you for joining our webcast. I'm Dr. David Marks. Goodbye.

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