by Robert T. Rubin

Received: 14 March 2019;  Published: 18 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902025

There are several definitions of sympathy, empathy, and compassion on the internet. I have chosen the above definitions to emphasize their salient differences, for the following reason: In medical school, in the early 1960s, we were taught not to sympathize with patients, but to empathize: By empathizing, one can retain some professional objectivity toward the patient, in order to be of some help. To sympathize, on the other hand, was to immerse oneself in the patient’s suffering and lose one’s professional per [...]

by Simonetta Bernardini  , Francesca Bechini  , Giulia Braccesi  , Franco Cracolici  , Rosaria Ferreri  , Roberto Pulcri  and Andrea Serafini

Received: 30 September 2018;  Published: 17 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902024

Background - Since 2011, the Tuscany Regional Authority has been funding the use of Integrated Medicine (IM) in a clinical setting in Pitigliano Hospital, with the aim of testing the true efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine(CAM) in a hospital setting. The clinical setting also comprises the Manciano rehabilitation facility, whose services include post-stroke rehabilitation. Methods- The study compared 212 patients divided into two groups: 94 treated with IM (conventional therapy plus homeopathy and a [...]

by Michael Frass  and Katharina Gaertner

Received: 16 January 2019;  Published: 16 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902023

This case reports of a 71-year-old patient with polycythemia vera (PCV). The homeopathic treatment began 15 years after the diagnosis at the age of 51. The frequency of phlebotomies could be lowered significantly after the start of the homeopathic treatment, the patient survived another 16 years without chemotherapy, which he had rejected despite appropriate education. For a PCV without chemotherapy, this patient had a long survival time of more than 30 years, essentially in the best health and quality of life. The [...]

by Katia Belvedere  , Elio Rossi  , Mariella Di Stefano  and Sonia Baccetti

Received: 22 February 2019;  Published: 10 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902022

Background. Complementary Medicine (CM) is being increasingly used by European citizens in order to increase their overall health state and wellbeing, as well as to treat various illnesses and diseases. Aim. Describe the pathway and results of the integration process of complementary medicines in the public healthcare service of the Region of Tuscany (Italy) lasting more than 20 years. Methods. The Regional Healthcare Programs (RHPs) of Tuscany (Italy) have started to incorporate several types of CM treatments (i. [...]

by Pei-Chen Lo  , Bo-Ting Lyu  and Wu Jue Chan Master Miao Tian

Received: 30 July 2018;  Published: 01 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902021

(1) Background: This research is aimed to develop new methods to investigate the cardiorespiratory interaction of Zen-meditation practitioners (Zen-meditation group) and healthy ordinary young people (control group) by quantitatively evaluating the respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) behavior. (2) Methods: Twenty-five voluntary controls and seven Zen-meditation practitioners were recruited. Experimental protocol involves five sessions of different mental-stress levels (control group) and five sessions of Zen-meditat [...]

by Carmelo guido  , Valentina Selmi  , Cosimo Chelazzi  , Giulia Borsotti  , Rita Giachetti  , Vittorio Limatola  , Martina Sicurani  and Angelo Raffaele De Gaudio

Received: 29 September 2018;  Published: 28 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901020

(1) Background: In recent years, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) techniques have become very widespread; among these, acupuncture can play an important role in the treatment of adverse effects related to chemotherapy. This role has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health after many clinical studies, thus allowing the official introduction of acupuncture in supportive therapy for oncological diseases, particularly to prevent nausea and vomiting. (2) Aim. The aim of this paper is to describe [...]

by Harry G. Hong

Received: 10 December 2018;  Published: 25 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901019

Background: Electrodermal measurement of acupuncture points has been correlated to physiologic and pathologic conditions with clinical and laboratory studies. Emerging evidence indicates that in addition to therapeutic effect, acupuncture points may also have diagnostic properties. However, physiologic basis of this phenomenon is still unknown. Objective: To determine how electrodermal activity of acupuncture points on hands and feet responds to exercise-induced sympathetic stress and how electrodermal measurement [...]

by Paul D. Loprinzi

Received: 07 February 2019;  Published: 21 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901018

The objective of this brief systematic review was to examine the effects of aquatic exercise on cognitive function. Studies were identified using electronic databases, including PubMed, PsychInfo, Sports Discus and Google Scholar. In total, 13 articles met the inclusionary criteria. Among the 13 studies, all 13 demonstrated beneficial cognitive effects from exercise. This included chronic aquatic exercise-induced improvements in global cognition, executive function, attention, learning and memory, cognitively-relat [...]

by Natalia Sylvia Ramos Díaz

Received: 23 August 2018;  Published: 14 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901017

One of the objectives of psychological intervention is to help individuals manage their emotions effectively by providing patients the necessary tools to accompany their own emotional states. Furthermore, at present there are not so many therapeutic resources aimed at facilitating emotions in patients, nor helping them with their regulation. Taking as a frame of reference the Model of Psychological Flexibility, which defines "mindfulness" as a practice that facilitates some of the processes necessary for adequate p [...]

by Cynthia M.A. Geppert  and Ronald W. Pies

Received: 01 March 2019;  Published: 04 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901016

Compassion in Clinical Care