Photo illustrations by Matt Mahurin
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Faith Healing
By Elizabeth Enright, September & October 2004
Some swear by these alternative treatments for pain, but Western medicine has found little or no proof that they work
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Graston technique
Curved stainless-steel instruments are rubbed over soft tissues to break
down scar tissue and stretch connective tissue and muscle. Some practitioners
and physical therapists report it to be effective for back pain and pain from
soft-tissue injuries, but there are no peer-reviewed clinical studies to
support this.
Magnet therapy
Small magnets are stuck to the skin or placed inside clothing, near painful
areas or at pressure points. Magnets are said to increase blood flow and change
how cells function. Some studies show promising results, but overall, the
findings do not firmly support claims that magnets are effective for the
treatment of pain.
Meilus muscular therapy
Pressure is applied by a robotic arm to sore muscles to spur the release of
lactic acid and other toxins, and to lengthen the muscle. There is no
independent scientific evidence proving its effectiveness for treating
pain.
Ozone injections
Water enriched with ozone molecules is injected into joints. Therapists
suggest that ozone, which consists of three bonded oxygen atoms, may have
health benefits beyond that of oxygen and can reduce pain when injected into
joints inflamed by osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. There is no
scientific evidence that ozone therapy works, and it has not been proven safe
by scientific studies.
Vertebral axial decompression (VAX-D)
A tractionlike treatment gradually stretches the spine, reducing pressure on
the spinal disks. Research using VAX-D treatment for chronic lower-back pain
has produced some encouraging results, but the research is of uncertain
quality.
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