Alternative therapies for depression, anxiety and insomnia

A new reader survey, published in the September issue of Consumer Reports, found that three in four adults use some form of alternative therapy for your overall health. Readers rated the prescription and over who most helped for most of 12 health problems, but chiropractic massage, deep muscle, and yoga, dominated the charts useful alternative treatment for nuisance conditions such as back pain, neck pain and osteoarthritis.

The survey also suggests that meditation, deep breathing exercises and yoga are being used to treat a variety of conditions including anxiety, headaches and migraines, depression and insomnia. It also shows that physicians are more open to alternative therapies than most people assume.
Some highlights of the report:• Prescription drugs helped more for nine of the 12 conditions on which consulted Consumer Reports Health: allergies, anxiety, colds and flu, depression, digestive problems, headaches and migraines, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome and osteoarthritis.• Meditation and yoga proved equally effective for treating anxiety (42% and 46% respectively said that these therapies "helped a lot") and depression (36% and 35% respectively).• Results of yoga were as good as meditation for insomnia (21% and 24%) but significantly higher than for meditation and migraine headaches, and especially for back pain. For back pain, yoga, Pilates deep muscle massage and had the same qualifications as prescription drugs. Chiropractic therapy outperformed all other treatments. The meditation was useful for almost one third (29%) of the few who tried it (5%).• For respiratory problems like colds, flu and allergies, the survey found that very few readers tried deep breathing exercises and chiropractic treatment. Those who did, however, reported encouraging results.• Of the alternative treatments used for general health, vitamins and minerals were the most popular and widely used 73% of respondents consume. Approximately one in five reported using mind-body therapies such as yoga, or practices such as massage therapy.• With respect to inform their physicians about the use of alternative therapies, readers do so in different degrees. For example, 57% of people receiving Shiatsu massage, usually for back pain or neck pain, his doctors said they knew, and so did 81% of those receiving chiropractic treatment. 65% of those who practiced progressive relaxation that their doctors said they knew, and so did 68% of the readers who reported practicing meditation.
• A smaller number of readers said their doctor had recommended an alternative therapy first. 28% of readers who used deep muscle massage, usually for back or neck pain, said his doctor had recommended. So did 26% of people using deep breathing exercises and 21% of those who consulted a chiropractor.
The report includes a brief guide for the user to practice therapies and mind-body with an assessment of the evidence. Those who decide to try alternative treatments should talk to your doctor before to set realistic expectations of how they will help to improve. Many insurance plans cover acupuncture and chiropractic treatment, and some offer discounts to other treatments. In addition, some treatments can have flexible spending reimbursement of the consumer or a health savings account. Consumers should check the details with your health plan.