Over the last two decades, from 2002 to 2022, there's been a significant shift in how U.S. adults manage healthcare. Instead of relying solely on conventional medical treatments, many are now turning towards alternative or complementary/integrated health approaches. This trend was highlighted in a recent study by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), which analyzed data on the use of seven approaches, from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) across the years 2002, 2012, and 2022. These included acupuncture, chiropractic, guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation, massage therapy, meditation, naturopathy, and yoga.
Use of Alternatives to Conventional Medicine Has Almost Doubled in 20 Years
The study's findings are quite revealing about integrative healthcare. Back in 2002, only
Shop Now! 19.2% of people reported using at least one of the seven health approaches studied. Fast forward to 2022, and this number has almost doubled to 36.7%. Among these approaches, yoga, meditation, and massage therapy saw the most significant increases in usage. Yoga's popularity surged from 5% in 2002 to 15.8% in 2022. Meditation saw an even more remarkable jump, from 7.5% in 2002 to becoming the most used approach in 2022 with 17.3% of people engaging in it. Acupuncture saw an increase, likely helped by some insurances starting to cover it, from 1% to 2.2% in the same period. Chiropractic jumped from 7.4% to 11% reporting use. Naturopathy, still a little-known system of medicine, jumped from .2 to 1.3% of adults surveyed.
Use of Integrative Health Approaches: 20 Year trends
What's particularly noteworthy is the growing use of these approaches for pain management. Among those who used any integrative health approach, the proportion using them for pain relief rose from 42.3% in 2002 to 49.2% in 2022. Yoga, for example, saw its use for pain management jump from 11.4% to 28.8%. The most preferred method for addressing pain was chiropractic care, with a staggering 85.7% of chiropractic patients turning to it for pain relief in 2022.
Percentage of Patients Using Complementary/Integrative Healthcare for Pain, by Type
This shift towards integrative healthcare approaches for pain management is thought to be driven by several factors. The opioid crisis has pushed a search for safer, non-opioid pain relief methods. Additionally, more robust research is now showing that these methods are more effective for managing pain. Furthermore, the inclusion of certain complementary approaches in clinical guidelines for pain treatment including CDC’s Opioid Prescribing Guidelines (first issued in 2016, updated in 2022), the National Pain Strategy (2016), The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) clinical practice guideline (2017) for the diagnosis and treatment of low back pain and the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Report (2019) may have encouraged referrals by conventional healthcare providers and the use of these treatments by patients.
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This comprehensive look into the rising use of integrative health approaches indicates that more and more patients, especially pain patients, are embracing a broader, more inclusive approach to health and wellness.
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