Complementary Medicine Meets Rheumatology: New Ways to Reduce Inflammation

Dr. Manek also discussed strong results from a study of tai chi in fibromyalgia. She noted that such mindful, slow exercises can be accessible and reinvigorating for even some of the most debilitated patients.¹⁸ This is in alignment with current ACR positive recommendations for mind-body exercises, such as tai chi, yoga and qi gong in appropriate patients.¹

Many trends in healthcare originate from the lived experiences of patients, through their own research and the information they exchange in support groups and online communities, noted Dr. Manek. She encouraged rheumatologists to view these patient-driven observations as early signals rather than distractions.

“When patients bring forward an intervention that seems to help them, even before the mechanism is fully defined, listen—they may be alerting us to something clinically meaningful,” she said.

Ruth Jessen Hickman, MD, a graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine, is a medical and science writer in Bloomington, Ind.

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