Have complementary therapies demonstrated effectiveness in rheumatoid arthritis?

Abstract

In recent decades the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has improved thanks to the use of highly effective drugs. However, patients usually require long term therapy, which is not free of side effects. Therefore RA patients often demand complementary medicine, they seek additional sources of relief and/or less side effects. In fact 30-60% of rheumatic patients use some form of complementary medicine. Therefore, from conventional medicine, if we want to optimally treat our patients facilitating communication with them we must know the most commonly used complementary medicines. The aim of this review is to assess, based on published scientific research, what complementary therapies commonly used by patients with RA are effective and safe.

Keywords: Acupuncture; Acupuntura; Artritis reumatoide; Body–mind therapies; Complementary therapy; Diet; Dieta; Ejercicio; Exercise; Fitoterapia; Hidroterapia; Homeopathy; Homeopatía; Hydrotherapy; Medicinal plants; Nutritional supplements; Phytotherapy; Plantas medicinales; Rheumatoid arthritis; Suplementos nutricionales; Terapia complementaria; Terapias cuerpo-mente.