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You are here : Home  AIDS Factsheet Alternative Complementary Therapies Alternative and Complementary TherapiesAlternative and Complementary Therapies
WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES? Background Information -What is AIDS? -HIV Testing -Acute HIV Infection -How HIV Drugs Get Approved -HIV Life Cycle Laboratory Tests -Normal Laboratory Values -Complete Blood Count (CBC) -Chemistry Panel -Blood Sugar and Fats -CD4 (T-cell) Tests -Viral Load Tests -HIV Resistance Testing -Monitoring Drug Levels Preventing HIV Infection -Stopping the Spread of HIV -How Risky Is It? -Condoms -Drug Use and HIV -Harm Reduction and HIV -Treatment After Microbicides -Microbicides Living with HIV -Choosing an HIV Care Provider -Medical Appointments -Telling Others You are HIV Positive -Participating in a Clinical Trial -How to Spot HIV/AIDS Fraud -Vaccinations and HIV -Medications to Fight HIV -HIV Life Cycle -Taking Current Antiretroviral Drugs -What Is Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)? -Adherence -Treatment Interruptions -Drug Interactions -Strengthening the Immune System -Immune Therapies in Development -Immune Restoration -Interleukin-2 -Immune Restoration Syndrome -Opportunistic Infections -Opportunistic Infections Side Effects and Their Treatments -Side Effects -Fatigue -Anemia -Body Shape Changes (Lipodystrophy) -Diarrhea -Peripheral Neuropathy -Mitochondrial Toxicity -Bone Problems -Depression and HIV Patient Populations -Women and HIV -Pregnancy and HIV aids -Children and HIV -Older People and HIV Alternative and Complementary Therapies -Alternative and Complementary Therapies -Ayurvedic Medicine -Chinese Acupuncture -Chinese Herbalism -Cat's Claw -DHEA -DNCB (Dinitrochlorobenzene) -Echinacea -Essiac -Marijuana -Silymarin (Milk Thistle) -Nutrition -Nutrition -Vitamins and Minerals -Exercise and HIV -Smoking and HIV A health treatment that does not fit into standard western medical practice is called "alternative" or "complementary". This includes many different therapies:
Other doctors like to use alternative therapies along with western medicine. They think alternative therapies can reduce stress, relieve some of the side effects of antiviral drugs, or have other benefits. Some doctors don't like alternative therapies. They think there hasn't been enough research on them. They think that patients always do better if they use only western medicine. HOW MANY PEOPLE USE ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES? Alternative therapies are very popular. In the United States, over 70% of people with HIV have used some kind of an alternative therapy. Many people use them regularly. Some health insurance plans pay for therapies such as chiropractic or acupuncture. ARE THEY SAFE? Alternative therapies can have dangerous side effects. The words "natural" or "non-drug" do not guarantee safety. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) does not approve dietary supplements or monitor their safety or contents. Some herbs can lower blood levels of antiviral drugs. Consumers need to be careful when using alternative therapies. The FDA recently proposed new rules that would reduce the risk of contamination of dietary supplements and would require that their labels clearly indicate their identity, purity, quality, strength and composition. DO THEY REALLY WORK? It is difficult to find good information on alternative therapies. Get as much information as you can before using them. Try to find out:
Sometimes this information is truly not available. However, if it seems like people don't want to answer your questions, be extra careful. You might be dealing with a health fraud. WHY AREN'T THERE MORE STUDIES OF ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES? Most research tests treatments for a particular disease or condition. Every patient gets exactly the same treatment. Sometimes alternative therapies are not standardized, making them more difficult to study. Alternative therapies aren't always designed to treat a particular illness: Some alternative therapies treat the whole person, not an illness. They might restore harmony, balance, or normal energy flow. Acupuncturists, for example, use the pulse to see if your body's energy is out of balance. Acupuncture for people with HIV is based on their individual energy pattern, not on their HIV. Therapies like this might help people with HIV, but they are not designed to treat HIV. Few alternative therapies are standardized: Few alternative therapies are standardized. Different brands of herbs can have different amounts of the active ingredient, although more standardized products are being made. Chiropractic, acupuncture, and other therapies are not standard. They are adjusted for each patient. Research is very difficult when treatments are not standardized. Basic Safety Studies Haven't Been Done: The FDA wants to know that a therapy is safe before they test how well it works. Even if a treatment has been used for many years with no reports of health problems, the FDA requires a scientific study to show that it is safe. There are no careful safety studies for many alternative therapies. StudyStudies are expensive: Scientific research is very expensive. The makers of alternative therapies often cannot afford to pay for scientific studies. The government prefers to pay for studies of western medical drugs because they appear to be more effective. Patents allow manufacturers to make large profits that help pay for research. However, most alternative therapies cannot be patented. Despite these barriers, some alternative therapies have been carefully studied. Often, this research has been conducted outside the US and might not be considered by the FDA. WORKING WITH YOUR DOCTOR Tell your doctor as much as possible about how you want to deal with your HIV infection. Tell your doctor about all the therapies you use. This is very important if you have any kind of bad reaction to a medicine that you are taking. There could be some alternative therapies that you should not use together with your HIV medications. For example, some herbs lower the levels of HIV medications. Check your doctor's attitude and knowledge on alternative therapies. Ideally, your doctor can keep an open mind and help you evaluate alternative therapies that interest you. THE BOTTOM LINE Most people with HIV use some kind of alternative or complementary therapy. Some alternative therapies can be dangerous. Others are safe to use. Some have been carefully studied and can improve your health. It is difficult to study alternative therapies. Find out as much as you can before you start using an alternative therapy. Let your doctor know about the therapies you are using. You are here : Home AIDS Factsheet Alternative Complementary Therapies Alternative and Complementary Therapies |
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