Complementary therapies
Doctors are aware that many patients use complementary therapies, and it is important that your doctor is informed of all the medications that you are taking, including those prescribed by complementary therapists. Your doctor will need to keep in mind that some complementary treatments (e.g. St John’s Wort) can interact with medications that your doctor may prescribe, and may also lead to side effects or toxicities, such as abnormal liver tests. |
Patients with gastroparesis may consider using complementary treatments alongside the medical approaches described above. In some patients, these treatments can provide valuable relief, often through mechanisms that are poorly understood by conventional medicine. There is some evidence to suggest that acupuncture may have a beneficial effect on the symptoms of gastroparesis. Some therapies also appear to act via similar mechanisms to those that might be delivered by a psychologist (e.g. stress reduction due to meditation).