by Kristi Kanel

Received: 30 January 2019;  Published: 30 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902030

While it may seem intuitive to suggest that compassion aids in the healing process, there is actual evidence to support that compassion changes physiology, which in turns affects emotional and physical healing. The focus of this opinion paper is on the use of compassion between health care providers and patients based on the use of compassion in the mental health field. Not only do patients benefit from compassion, but health care providers may also benefit. Creating compassionate relationships with patients may [...]

by Mariella Di Stefano  , Sonia Baccetti  , Elio Rossi  , Maria Valeria Monechi  , Barbara Cucca  , Sergio Segantini  , Elisabetta Barbara Cortesi  , Fabio Voller  , Eleonora Fanti  , Alice Berti  and Stefano Bravi

Received: 27 September 2018;  Published: 28 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902029

Background: According to the international literature, users of Complementary Medicine (CM), Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) are physically more active, less overweight and have healthier lifestyles than the average Tuscan population. Aim: To evaluate the socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyles of patients of CM public clinics in the region of Tuscany and to define their profiles in terms of physical exercise, smoking habits, diet, intake of alc [...]

by Elisabetta Barbara Cortesi  , Sonia Baccetti  , Maria Valeria Monechi  , Mariella Di Stefano  , Barbara Cucca  , Tommaso Conti  , Antonella Traversi  , Filippa Terranova  , Roberto Montelatici  , Sylvie Yvonne Barberousse  , Federica Sabatini  , Catia Vuono  , Christian Bini  and Marco Picchi

Received: 26 September 2018;  Published: 28 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902028

Introduction: Pain in musculoskeletal disorders is a common problem that involves high social and individual costs. Systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials show that a number of treatments usually applied in this field are not effective. On the other hand, there is clinical evidence of the effectiveness of physical exercise, acupuncture, and auriculotherapy. Side effects of current medication limit their use. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of auriculotherapy on the pain of patients suffering from ch [...]

by Peter Lechleitner

Received: 02 March 2018;  Published: 25 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902027

The first part of this position paper focuses on the debate about the scientific status of homeopathy and presents some answers. The scientific debate however, does not represent the available scientific evidence, which actually supports our limited data. Thus, it seems important and we aim to present how homeopathy can be part of an integrated concept in cancer care and how this is approved by randomized controlled trials. We present some arguments which were helpful to us in the discussion with oncologists that d [...]

by Gila Chen

Received: 04 March 2019;  Published: 24 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902026

Background: A large body of empirical evidence has supported the notion that individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) have difficulty regulating their negative emotions and employing emotion-regulation strategies. The aim of this article is to (a) explore the role of self-compassion in providing an emotion-regulation strategy for initiating a process of recovery from SUDs; (b) examine the role of self-compassion in building recovery capital (RC) to promote long-term recovery; and (c) examine the practice of [...]

by Robert T. Rubin

Received: 14 March 2019;  Published: 18 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902025

There are several definitions of sympathy, empathy, and compassion on the internet. I have chosen the above definitions to emphasize their salient differences, for the following reason: In medical school, in the early 1960s, we were taught not to sympathize with patients, but to empathize: By empathizing, one can retain some professional objectivity toward the patient, in order to be of some help. To sympathize, on the other hand, was to immerse oneself in the patient’s suffering and lose one’s professional per [...]

by Simonetta Bernardini  , Francesca Bechini  , Giulia Braccesi  , Franco Cracolici  , Rosaria Ferreri  , Roberto Pulcri  and Andrea Serafini

Received: 30 September 2018;  Published: 17 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902024

Since 2011, the Tuscany Regional Authority has been funding the use of Integrated Medicine (IM) in a clinical setting in Pitigliano Hospital, with the aim of testing the true efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a hospital setting. The clinical setting also comprises the Manciano rehabilitation facility whose services include post-stroke rehabilitation. This study aims to establish if IM helps to improve the rehabilitation performance of stroke patients. The study compared 212 patients divide [...]

by Michael Frass  and Katharina Gaertner

Received: 16 January 2019;  Published: 16 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902023

This case reports of a 71-year-old patient with polycythemia vera (PCV). Homeopathic treatment began 15 years after his diagnosis at the age of 51. The frequency of phlebotomies was lowered significantly after the start of the homeopathic treatment; the patient survived another 16 years without chemotherapy, which he had rejected despite appropriate education. For someone with PCV who denied chemotherapy, this patient had a long survival time of more than 30 years, essentially enjoying good health and high quality [...]

by Katia Belvedere  , Elio Rossi  , Mariella Di Stefano  and Sonia Baccetti

Received: 22 February 2019;  Published: 10 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902022

Complementary Medicine (CM) is being increasingly used by European citizens in order to increase their overall state of health and well-being, as well as to treat various illnesses and diseases. The interest for these therapies has progressively risen also in Italy and in Tuscany as well. In response to the increasing demand in the past few years by the Tuscan citizens, the region of Tuscany has started their integration in the healthcare service. Since 1996, the Tuscan Regional Healthcare Plans (RHPs) have been co [...]

by Pei-Chen Lo  , Bo-Ting Lyu  and Wu Jue Miao Tian

Received: 30 July 2018;  Published: 01 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902021

Background: This research aims to develop new methods to investigate the cardiorespiratory interaction of Zen-meditation practitioners (Zen-meditation group) and healthy ordinary young people (control group) by quantitatively evaluating respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) behavior. Methods: Twenty-five voluntary controls and seven Zen-meditation practitioners were recruited. The experimental protocol involved five sessions of different mental-stress levels (control group) and five sessions of Zen-meditation practice [...]