Complementary Therapies in Medicine - The Consciousness Library

Effectiveness of meditation in the management of epilepsy: An updated mini systematic review of recent findings.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine June 1, 2026 Moirangthem Joychand Singh, Sunil Singh Yadav, Sangeeth Somanadhapai et al.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by altered cortical excitability. The disorder is often associated with psychological distress and reduced quality of life. The purpose of the present review is to critically summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of meditation-based interventions for people with epilepsy. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2026.103351 Full text Meditation Mindfulness Epilepsy Neurophysiology +2

Complementary therapies for chronic knee pain: A placebo-controlled RCT of Reiki and mindfulness.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine December 1, 2025 Adam W. Hanley, Yoshio Nakamura, Robert R Edwards et al.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a prevalent chronic pain condition that significantly impairs quality of life and is often treated with interventions that carry risks or provide limited relief. Reiki, a non-invasive complementary therapy, has shown early promise for pain management but lacks rigorous evaluation among American adults with KOA. This study evaluated the specific efficacy of Reiki and...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103278 Full text Mindfulness Chronic pain Consciousness-based therapy Knee osteoarthritis +1

The role of yoga as mind-body exercise in fibromyalgia management: A systematic review

Complementary Therapies in Medicine November 2, 2025 Ebru Durusoy, Edibe Ünal

Background: Fibromyalgia is a syndrome linked to chronic pain and biopsychosocial problems, with management limited by unclear etiology and treatments. Yoga is a mind-body practice combining movement, breathing, meditation, and coping skills that may address treatment needs. However, evidence is limited. This study aims to evaluate the effect of yoga on fibromyalgia symptoms and assess the...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103290 Full text Fibromyalgia Mind-body exercise Yoga

Effects of mindfulness meditation on blood pressure and quality of life in patients with intradialytic hypertension during haemodialysis: A randomised controlled trial.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine November 1, 2025 Yongyao Wu, Qiaojing Xia, Yiyi Gao et al. 2 citations

To investigate the effects of mindfulness meditation on blood pressure changes and quality of life in patients with intradialytic hypertension (IDH) during haemodialysis. This single-blind, randomised controlled trial involved 69 patients with IDH undergoing maintenance haemodialysis at Lihuili Hospital in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China, between August and December 2024. Patients were...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103245 Full text Haemodialysis Intradialytic hypertension Mindfulness meditation Sarcopenia

Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention (eMBI) in management of dyspnea in patients with interstitial lung disease: A randomized clinical trial.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine December 1, 2024 Siliana Maria Duarte Miranda, Sara de Pinho Cunha Paiva, Luiz Fernando Ferreira Pereira et al. 3 citations

Dyspnea and cough are frequent symptoms in ILD patients. The management of these symptoms is challenging, and evidence-based therapies are lacking. To evaluate the effect of an online Mindfulness-Based Intervention (eMBI) on reducing dyspnea in patients affected by different ILDs. This study was a prospective, open-label, controlled trial that included patients ≥18 years and a modified Medical...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2024.103106 Full text Meditation Mindfulness Pulmonary fibrosis Quality of life

Effects of meditation on pain intensity, physical function, quality of life and depression in adults with low back pain - A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine March 1, 2023 Helena Schmidt, Christian Pilat

Low back pain (LBP) is a common biopsychosocial health problem. Meditation may provide a complementary treatment option for LBP patients. The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to examine the effects of meditation on pain intensity, functional disability, quality of life, and depression in LBP populations. This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102924 Full text Meditation Mindfulness Chronic pain Low back pain +1

Peer navigation-delivered loving kindness meditation: A pilot project

Complementary Therapies in Medicine June 5, 2021 Alyson Moadel-Robblee, Fernando Camacho, Gabrielle E. Milner et al.

Peer navigators (PNs), including trained cancer survivor volunteers, can be an important resource to the cancer care team in reducing barriers to screening, treatment, and psychosocial care among underserved communities through their roles in outreach, education, advocacy, and peer support. As cancer centers face growing patient demand and evidence for integrating complementary therapies into...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102661 Full text Peer navigation Loving kindness meditation Underserved cancer patients

The mindfulness-based stress reduction program for improving sleep quality in cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine January 15, 2021 Hyo-Weon Suh, H. Jeong, Sunggyu Hong et al.

INTRODUCTION This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program in improving sleep in cancer survivors. METHODS Four electronic databases (Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, and PsycARTICLES) were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of MBSR on the sleep of cancer survivors from their inception to May...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102667 Full text

Meditation based lifestyle modification (MBLM) in outpatients with mild to moderate depression: A mixed-methods feasibility study.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine November 16, 2020 Holger C Bringmann, Nicole Bringmann, Michael Jeitler et al. 16 citations

BACKGROUND Integrative mental health care can be used to treat depression with a person-centered, lifestyle-modifying, and more salutogenic approach to mental health and human flourishing. In this article, we report on the feasibility and acceptability of a new mind-body program, Meditation Based Lifestyle Modification (MBLM), in outpatients with mild or moderate depression. METHODS This is a...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102598 Full text

Exploring how different types of yoga change psychological resources and emotional well-being across a single session.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine March 1, 2020 Crystal L Park, Lucy Finkelstein-Fox, Erik J Groessl et al. 54 citations

Yoga demonstrates beneficial effects in many populations, yet our understanding of how yoga brings about these effects is quite limited. Among the proposed mechanisms of yoga are increasing psychological resources (mindfulness, body consciousness, self-transcendence, spiritual peace, and social connectedness) that may bring about salutary effects on emotional wellbeing. Further, yoga is a...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102354 Full text Meditation Emotional well-being Mechanisms Positive emotion +2

Mindfulness-Based stress reduction in early palliative care for people with metastatic cancer: A mixed-method study.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine December 1, 2019 Stefano Poletti, Giorgia Razzini, Roberto Ferrari et al.

To explore the impact of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention for people with metastatic cancer integrated in Early Palliative Care (EPC). Mixed-method study. EPC Service integrated with Oncology Unit, Carpi General Hospital, Italy from January to October 2017. The MBSR intervention took place inside the hospital. Study participation was offered to 25 consecutive people...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.102218 Full text Early palliative care Integrative healthcare Interpretive-phenomenological analysis Metastatic cancer +1

A pilot study of mindful walking training on physical activity and health outcomes among adults with inadequate activity.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine June 1, 2019 Lu Shi, Ralph S Welsh, Snehal Lopes et al.

Mindful walking is a meditation practice that combines physical activity and mindfulness practice. Some mindful walking interventions expect four weeks of attendance (as compared with the traditional 8-week models of mindfulness-based interventions, or MBIs), a practice that could make MBIs more accessible to working-age adults. This study examined whether a 4-week mindful walking intervention...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.03.009 Full text Mindfulness Physical activity Step count Stress +2

How does yoga reduce stress? Embodied cognition and emotion highlight the influence of the musculoskeletal system.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine April 1, 2019 Alisha Francis, Rhonda Beemer 38 citations

Yoga is an increasingly popular activity, perhaps because of its association with stress reduction and relaxation - an association that is generally supported by empirical evidence. Understanding of the mediating variables is, however, limited. Given that, the purpose of this paper is to present a theoretical perspective that encourages systematic research regarding the relationship between...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.01.024

Prevalence, patterns, and predictors of meditation use among U.S. children: Results from the National Health Interview Survey.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine April 1, 2019 Claudia Wang, Kaigang Li, Susan A Gaylord

The purpose of the study is to examine the characteristics of various types of meditation use (i.e., mantra, mindful, and spiritual meditation) among U.S. children. Using 2017 National Health Interview Survey, we examined the prevalence, patterns, and potential predictors of meditation use among U.S. children aged 4 to 17 years. Descriptive statistics, Wald F chi-square test, and multivariable...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.02.004 Full text Children Mantra meditation Mindfulness meditation Spiritual meditation

Correlations between brain changes and pain management after cognitive and meditative therapies: A systematic review of neuroimaging studies.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine August 1, 2018 Simone S Nascimento, Larissa R Oliveira, Josimari M DeSantana

There are different ways of dealing with pain and cognitive and meditative therapies (CMT) are alternative ways to regulate the emotions associated with pain. Current studies apply neuroimaging techniques trying to elucidate the neural mechanisms of cognitive strategies for pain. This systematic review aimed to summarize the evidence on brain activity changes after CMT, which include cognitive...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.06.006 Full text Meditation Mindfulness Chronic pain Cognitive behavioral therapy +2

Outcomes of MBSR or MBSR-based interventions in health care providers: A systematic review with a focus on empathy and emotional competencies.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine February 1, 2016 Martin Lamothe, É. Rondeau, Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise et al.

BACKGROUND Emotional competencies are extremely important for healthcare providers exposed to patients' suffering. The effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been studied in this population. However, it is unclear whether capacities identified as core for care are modified favourably by this intervention. OBJECTIVES (1) To identify outcomes in studies on the effect of MBSR in...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2015.11.001 Full text

The Chinese medicine construct "stagnation" in mind-body connection mediates the effects of mindfulness training on depression and anxiety.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine August 1, 2013 Herman H M Lo, Siu-Man Ng, Cecilia L W Chan et al.

Previous studies have identified different, but highly correlated variables explaining the effects of mindfulness training. Many of them are limited by tautological explanation. Under the framework of the mind-body connection, mindfulness training cultivates body awareness and promotes self-management of illness. Stagnation, a concept from Chinese medicine, may help explain the mechanism of...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2013.05.008 Full text Anxiety Depression Mediator Mindfulness meditation +2

A narrative review of yoga and mindfulness as complementary therapies for addiction.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine June 1, 2013 Surbhi Khanna, Jeffrey M Greeson 250 citations

This paper reviews the philosophical origins, current scientific evidence, and clinical promise of yoga and mindfulness as complementary therapies for addiction. Historically, there are eight elements of yoga that, together, comprise ethical principles and practices for living a meaningful, purposeful, moral and self-disciplined life. Traditional yoga practices, including postures and...

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2013.01.008 Full text

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