Integrative Medicine Research

More and more research studies and clinical trials are being conducted to examine the efficacy and effectiveness of integrative health therapies. The conditions for which centers of integrative health around the U.S. have reported the most clinical success are, in order, chronic pain, gastrointestinal disorders, depression/anxiety, cancer and stress.

The publication Integrative Medicine in America* reports that 75 percent of patients who seek therapy at a center for integrative health do so for chronic pain, and report finding relief. About 59 percent of centers report having success in treating gastrointestinal disorders, such as chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and colitis. Yet another significant condition that people seek care for are depression and anxiety.

Patients who are receiving conventional cancer treatment also seek out integrative health therapies for emotional and nutritional support. These therapies – such as acupuncture – can ease symptoms of cancer treatment, including the fatigue that can be a side effect of chemotherapy or radiation treatments.

Finally, stress management is a major component of integrative health. Directors of many integrative health centers cite this as a key mission: helping to relieve suffering, and the illness that can ensue, through stress reduction.

* Horrigan B, Lewis S, Abrams DI, Pechura C. Integrative Medicine in America—How Integrative Medicine Is Being Practiced in Clinical Centers Across the United States. Glob Adv Health Med. 2012;1(3):18–94. doi:10.7453/gahmj.2012.1.3.006