Sprains

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Turmeric [1, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that turmeric can help in the treatment of sprains. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Mugwort (Artemisa Vulgaris) [1, 13, 14, 15]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It has been proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has been discounted due life-threatening side effects

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that mugwart helps to treat sprains. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica, Hydrocotyle Asiatica)[1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Gotu Kola helps in the treatment of sprains in any way. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Flower Remedies [1, 5, 6]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation  (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that flower remedies help to treat sprains)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Comfrey (Blackwort, Symphytum Officinale) [1, 2, 3, 4]:

Please note, this herb is TOXIC IF TAKEN ORALLY, OR IF APPLIED TO AN OPEN WOUND. Can cause severe liver or kidney damage and lead to death. May ONLY be used as a cream over intact skin, and does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: weakly in favor  (ONLY TO BE USED AS A CREAM OVER HEALTHY SKIN. Studies show that cream made from Comfrey extracts may help to treat the symptoms of sprains, but more studies are needed)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Arnica Root (Arnica Montana):

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (available evidence shows that Arnica is in no way helpful in the treatment of sprains)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

Transcutaneous Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (studies regarding this therapy with regards to Sprains has yielded mixed results)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Osteopathy:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly  help with the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (there is insufficient evidence to show that osteopathy helps in treating sprains)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Neural Therapy:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly  help with the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (there is insufficient evidence to show that Neural Therapy helps in treating sprains)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Hydrotherapy:

Recommendation: weakly in favor (some types of hydrotherapy have been shown to be helpful in treating slight sprains)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19460762

3. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/comfrey

4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2103401

5.  http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/flower-remedies

6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12635462

7. Winston, D., Maimes, S., Adaptogens: Herbs For Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, 2007, pp. 226-7

8. "A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study on the Effects of Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) on Acoustic Startle Response in Healthy Subjects". Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 20(6):680-684, December 2000. Bradwejn, Jacques MD, FRCPC *; Zhou, Yueping MD, PhD ++; Koszycki, Diana PhD *; Shlik, Jakov MD, PhD

9.  B. M. Hausen (1993) "Centella asiatica (Indian pennywort), an effective therapeutic but a weak sensitizer." Contact Dermatitis 29 (4), 175–179 doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1993.tb03532.x

10. Cataldo, A., Gasbarro, V., et al., "Effectiveness of the Combination of Alpha Tocopherol, Rutin, Melilotus, and Centella asiatica in The Treatment of Patients With Chronic Venous Insufficiency", Minerva Cardioangiology, 2001, Apr; 49(2):159-63

11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotu_kola#Medicinal_effects

12. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/gotu-kola

13. Anliker MD, Borelli S, Wüthrich B. Occupational protein contact dermatitis from spices in a butcher: a new presentation of the mugwort-spice syndrome. Contact Dermatitis. 2002;46:72-74.

14. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/mugwort

15. Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2004.

16. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/turmeric

17. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-turmeric.html

18. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/turmeric/index.htm

19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1668932.stm

20. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/10/28/curry-kills-cancer-cells-and-other-health-benefits-of-the-nations-favourite-dish-115875-21779950/

21. http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=turmeric

Public Discussion