Many people around the world use health care approaches that were developed outside conventional allopathic medicine. More than 30% of adults in the United States, with similar numbers in Europe, utilize complementary health approaches [20,47]. Chronic pain, particularly musculoskeletal pain, is one of the most common reasons for individuals to use complementary health care approaches. It is estimated that more than 40% of individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain try some form of complementary therapy [21].
Chronic pain has become a health crisis in the United States and around the world. It is estimated that the prevalence of chronic pain (defined as chronic, recurrent, or long-lasting pain continuing for at least 6 months) is more than 30% in women and more than 25% in men [39]. Pain is most commonly treated using pharmacotherapy, but with the growing opioid epidemic, it is important to examine the use of nonpharmacological therapies to treat pain.
Rather than giving an overview of all complementary practices, this course will focus on three nonpharmacological approaches to treating chronic pain that have shown significant clinical effects— cognitive-behavioral therapies, manual therapies, and yoga therapy—and discuss mechanisms that may underlie their effectiveness
