However, research shows that some treatments that are just written off as bunk may actually help treat a range of conditions, from pain to depression and even cancer. Last week, a US study claimed to have shown for the first time that mindfulness meditation can act as a pain reliever, reducing responses in the brain responsible for pain. It followed major research in March that found a supplement made from shellfish had “anti-cancer benefits”. In the study of 400,000 people, there was a 16% lower risk of lung cancer in those who took the tablets regularly. And decades of research have shown that St John’s wort flower can be just as effective as antidepressants in people with mild to moderate depression. Such research has convinced even the staunchest critics that there may be a place for alternative medicine in the way we treat modern disease. Professor Edzard Ernst, chair of complementary medicine at the University of Exeter, has made a career out of making treatments without scientific backing. He recently wrote the book Charles: The Alternative Prince, in which he denounced the Prince of Wales’ obsession with homeopathy. But he’s admitted that not all alternative medicine should be tarred with the same brush, and he’s eyeing five of the most promising treatments in the field: Professor Edzard Ernst (inset), the world’s leading expert on alternative medicine, says that research has suggested that glucosamine (top left), meditation (top), St. John’s wort (top right), TENS ( lower left) and melatonin (lower right) could all be beneficial for a number of medical conditions Balsam for depression Alternative medicines could also help treat another disease that is becoming more prevalent in modern society – depression. Around 4.5 per cent of Britons are thought to be suffering from clinical depression, by some estimates a fifth since the turn of the century. NHS doctors currently prescribe cognitive behavioral therapy or antidepressants. But the latter can cause a number of side effects, including headaches, nausea and sleep problems, leading some to seek alternatives. St. John’s wort is a flower that has long been used to treat mental health problems. It is one of the best researched herbal medicines and is taken as a daily capsule, costing around 25p per pill. There is good evidence that St. John’s wort can reduce symptoms in people with mild to moderate, but not major, depression. In many studies it appears to work as well as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a popular type of antidepressant often prescribed to treat depression.

Mindfulness or the new paracetamol?

Modern mindfulness meditation could be used as a pain reliever, according to a study. The practice involves “being present” with your thoughts and feelings, usually using breathing techniques. It’s said to help people feel less distressed when dealing with stressful emotional situations, but now scientists say they’ve shown for the first time that it can also treat physical pain. They put about 30 healthy Americans through an eight-week mindfulness course and then compared them to a control group. Participants underwent brain scans before and after the course while their limbs were exposed to heat to demonstrate a pain response. Those who practiced mindfulness showed less activity in the areas of the brain responsible for pain compared to the control group. A separate experiment on long-term mindfulness followers showed that they had physical changes in their brains that affected their perception of pain. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin claim the results suggest mindfulness could be used instead of opioids or other painkillers for people with chronic pain. Mindfulness practice is on the rise, particularly in the US, with some studies estimating that 5.7 million Americans have tried it at least once. The latest work was done by researchers at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California — a nonprofit think tank that produces research for the U.S. Air Force. The meta-analysis, published in Systematic Reviews in 2016, looked at 35 studies, including 6,993 patients who were given either the herbal remedy, a placebo or antidepressants. They found that people taking St. John’s wort was just as effective as antidepressants, while causing a third fewer side effects. It was also 53 percent more effective than taking a placebo. The authors wrote:[St John’s wort] Monotherapy for mild and moderate depression is superior to placebo in improving depressive symptoms and does not differ significantly from antidepressant treatment. “Adverse events reported in RCTs were comparable to placebo and fewer compared to antidepressants.” Professor Ernst said: “This is very encouraging, but we have to be careful. “St. John’s wort interacts strongly with about 50 percent of all prescription drugs and thus can cause significant harm.” DECADES for pain Knee pain, period cramps and endometriosis flare-ups could be helped by a special treatment that supplies the body with electricity, according to Professor Ernst. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) aims to relieve pain by blocking nerve signals using a mild electrical current. The use of electricity for pain relief was first reported by the Romans, with the emperor Claudius’ court physician noting that standing on electric fish on the beach reduced his pain in 63 AD. The first modern TENS machine was patented in the US in 1974, originally used for chronic pain, although it has since been expanded for a variety of pain conditions. Professor Ernst told MailOnline: ‘Put simply, it consists of a small battery-operated low-voltage electricity generator connected to electrodes which patients attach to the area of ​​pain. “It is believed that the electric current stimulates the nerve cells that block the transmission of pain signals, modifying the perception of pain.” The NHS currently recommends that people considering TENS speak to their doctor, who could refer them to a physiotherapist or pain clinic for treatment. However, it states that “there is not enough good-quality scientific evidence to say with certainty whether TENS is a reliable method of pain relief.” However, Professor Ernst pointed to a review published in February of 381 trials with a total of more than 24,500 participants. Published in BMJ Open, it found that there was “moderate-certainty evidence that pain intensity is lower during or immediately after TENS compared with placebo and without serious adverse effects.” Glucosamine for cancer Another remedy that has long been touted by alternative medicine enthusiasts is glucosamine. Glucosamine is found naturally in the body in cartilage, a hard tissue that helps protect our joints. Other natural sources include chicken bone ends and crustacean shells. They are sold as supplements for just 20p a pill. Over the years, studies have failed to show definitively whether the tablets can treat pain on a large scale. But they are generally considered safe, and many osteoarthritis sufferers report feeling some pain relief. NHS doctors no longer prescribe it for arthritis patients due to a lack of specific research. But new research in March linked the pills to a lower risk of cancer. The study of almost 440,000 middle-aged adults published in the European Respiratory Journal found the pills had “anti-cancer benefits”. The researchers found that the 82,600 participants who said they took the pills “regularly” had a 16 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer over the 11-year study period. They were also 12 percent less likely to die from the disease. However, the research fell short of proving that the pills caused the lowest risk, with other factors potentially at play. Other studies have linked glucosamine use to a lower risk of heart disease. The supplement is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties, which could help reduce the risk of cancer and clogging of the arteries – allowing the immune system to function at full strength. Professor Ernst said: “Although this is only the latest in a series of studies all showing similar things, population studies cannot definitively establish a causal effect. Clinical trials are now needed to do just that.’ Meditation for lower back pain Chronic lower back pain is an increasingly common problem in the modern world, with many of us suffering from hunched over desks all day. But the solution could be found in ancient practice in the form of meditation, Professor Ernst suggested. Meditation was first recorded in the earliest scripts of Hinduism, which were written around 1500 BC, and can be traced back to as early as 5000 BC. The practice involves focusing the mind on a specific object, thought or activity, to increase attention and achieve a calm and clear state of mind. It has since been adopted in the West as part of mindfulness, with research showing it is beneficial for a range of mental and medical disorders, including high blood pressure. A study published in Pain Medicine in February showed that meditation could help people suffering from low back pain. Researchers from Taipei Medical University in Taiwan reviewed 12 trials involving a total of more than 1,150 patients. It found that people who meditated had significantly less back pain after starting the practice compared to those who didn’t. The authors said: “Meditation-based treatments are a safe and effective alternative approach to the management of CLBP.” Meditation is thought to relieve pain by changing the structure of the brain, making the feeling less intense. Professor Ernst said the review suggested meditation could be beneficial for people living with pain. He said: “This is encouraging because, unlike chiropractic, meditation is not associated with serious adverse effects.” A study published last week put about 30 healthy Americans through an eight-week mindfulness course and then…