Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Pain in Older Adults

Aileen Burford-Mason, PhD, President, Holistic Health Research Foundation of Canada, Toronto, ON.
Trish Dryden RMT, MEd, Coordinator of Massage Therapy Research and Development, School of Applied Arts and Health Sciences, Centennial College, Scarborough, ON.
Merrijoy Kelner, PhD, Professor Emerita, Institute for Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.
Paul Richard Saunders, PhD, ND, DHANP, Professor of Materia Medica, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, North York, ON.
Mark Ware, MD, MRCP(UK), MSc, Assistant Professor, Departments of Anesthesia and Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is defined as a group of diverse medical and health care practices, products, and systems that are not presently considered part of conventional medicine but are increasingly being used. For older patients already receiving multiple drugs, such practices are attractive as nonpharmacological approaches to pain management. This review highlights several CAM therapies, including acupuncture treatment, massage therapy, and several natural health products supported by recent research.
Key words: pain, acupuncture, massage, Devil’s claw, glucosamine.