Surgery and complementary therapies: a review

The incorporation of complementary therapies into the surgical setting has been slow compared to that of other areas of conventional medicine. This paper summarizes the available information on complementary therapies in surgery from a broad range of sources in the medical literature. The effects of psychological distress on the surgical patient and potential relief from that distress by such methods as relaxation techniques, hypnosis, suggestion, and imagery, as well as the role of coping style and locus of control on choice of therapy are reviewed. The role of acupuncture, music, massage therapy, therapeutic touch, and Reiki, as well as the use of herbs and supplements in modifying surgical outcome, is explored.