A new study shows that more than half of office-based physicians in the U.S. recommended at least one complementary health approach (CHA) to their patients during the previous 12 months, with female physicians more likely to recommend a CHA than male physicians.

Massage therapy was the most commonly recommended CHA, followed by chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation, herbs/nonvitamin supplements, yoga, and acupuncture. The most commonly recommended CHAs by general/family practice physicians were chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation and massage therapy. Of all U.S. physicians, 53.1% recommended at least one CHA to patients during the previous 12 months. This unique study found physician’s sex, race, specialty, and U.S. region to be significant predictors of CHA recommendation, for any CHA and for individual approaches, such as those listed above.

Complementary and integrative health practices and interventions, like yoga, massage therapy, and acupuncture, along with natural products including fish oil and probiotics, are widely used by U.S. adults. Studies in this area have been limited to certain medical specialties and regions. For example, 67% of pediatricians in a Seattle hospital reported recommending CHAs to patients, and more than half of physicians in the Chesapeake area referred patients to a chiropractor. Physicians know that chiropractic care can often benefit their patients, and makes an excellent complement to their own medical specialty.

Presented as a service to the community by: Union County Chiropractic Clinic, 110 Skyline Drive, Maynardville, TN (865) 992-7000 www.unioncountychiropractic.com.