Integrating complementary/alternative medicine into primary care: evaluating the evidence and appropriate implementation.

The frequency with which patients utilize treatments encompassed by the term complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) is well documented. A number of these therapies are beginning to be integrated into contemporary medical practice. This article examines three of them: osteopathic manipulation, yoga, and acupuncture, with a focus on their physiological effects, efficacy in treating medical conditions commonly encountered by practitioners, precautions or contraindications, and ways in which they can be incorporated into clinical practice.

Spontaneous Iliopsoas Tendon Rupture: An Uncommon Cause of Hip Pain in Elderly Patients.

Iliopsoas tendon rupture is a relatively rare cause of hip pain. It has been described in children, in adults with pathologic avulsion secondary to metastatic disease, and in older individuals with multiple chronic illnesses. We are reporting a case of apparently spontaneous iliopsoas tendon rupture that occurred in an elderly patient presenting with severe debilitating hip pain whose etiology initially was unrecognized.

Medicare coverage for vision assistive equipment.

Vision loss that cannot be corrected medically, surgically, or by refractive means is considered low vision. Low vision often results in impairment of daily activities, loss of independence, increased risk of fractures, excess health care expense, and reduced physical functioning, quality of life, and life expectancy. Vision rehabilitation can enable more independent functioning for individuals with low vision.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy following traumatic myelopathy.

Two cases of reflex sympathetic dystrophy in the upper extremity of patients with traumatic cervical spinal cord injuries are reported. Both patients had very incomplete lesions with early neurological recovery, suggesting an underlying central cord syndrome. Although reflex sympathetic dystrophy is often seen following stroke, it has only rarely been documented in traumatic myelopathy, and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained pain syndromes in the extremities of paraplegic or quadriplegic patients.