More detailed information about alternative and nondrug pain relief therapies is available from a variety of authoritative sources, including:
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) www.nccam.nih.gov.
Offers treatments, research findings, safety advice for choosing herbal supplements and tips for selecting a practitioner. The NCCAM Clearinghouse (888-644-6226) will answer general questions but will not provide medical advice or physician referrals.
• Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) www.ods.od.nih.gov.
An arm of the National Institutes of Health, ODS has fact sheets on dietary supplements as well as safety information and potential side effects. ODS does not have a public information clearinghouse and advises patients to consult their doctors for advice on whether to take supplements and which dosages to use.
• Mayo Clinic's Complementary & Alternative Medicine Center www.mayoclinic.com (Under "Health Centers" heading on left side of screen, scroll down and select "Complementary & Alternative Medicine").
Provides information on a variety of therapies as well as advice on herbs and supplements. Addresses safety concerns and which therapies are commonly used for specific conditions.
• Center for Integrative Medicine, George Washington University Medical Center www.integrativemedicinedc.com.
Details various types of therapies; also explains current research projects. The center, based in the District, also offers clinical services; information at 202-833-5055.
• Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine www.compmed.umm.edu.
Has a directory (www.compmed.umm.edu/ConsumersontheInternet.pdf) that lists additional resources available online for more information on treatments. Other parts of the site describe classes offered through the center, research currently underway and services available at the clinic. Information: 410-448-6361.
• The CochraneCollaboration www.cochrane.org.
If medical research is what you seek and you're ready for technical language, Cochrane can tell you which studies have been done, how many people were studied and what the findings were. It can then put that information in context with what is already known and what needs further research.
To narrow your search, type in "alternative and complementary therapies" in the home page search box.
• Harvard Medical School-Aetna Intelihealth www.intelihealth.com (Under orange bar that says "Healthy Lifestyle," select "Complementary & Alternative Medicine").
Through a partnership between Harvard Medical School and Aetna Intelihealth, the school's faculty provides health information for parts of the site and reviews other content for accuracy. The site has news on the latest research and details the basics for understanding alternative and complementary treatments.
-- January W. Payne
