Post by Mel on Jan 4, 2006 17:32:29 GMT -5
Anxiety a challenge for FPs since part of many disorders
Copyright Rogers Publishing Limited Sep 7, 2004[Headnote]
Doctors should he aware of non-drug therapies available
CHARLOTTETOWN - Patients with anxiety can be a challenge for family doctors because it's a symptom of many different disorders.
"It's very important for family doctors to determine what syndrome is associated with that symptom," Dr. Grainne Neilson, lecturer in psychiatry at Dalhousie University, told FPs here.
"Anxiety can be a normal state, a normal trait, part of another psychiatric disorder, part of a medical disorder or a disorder in and of itself. So it is important to think about what the differential is and to investigate appropriately and to treat appropriately."
In particular, general anxiety disorder (GAD) can exist by itself or can be a co-morbidity with just about any psychiatric disorder, she said. She outlined all the various drug therapies but noted there are several non-drug treatments.
"Cognitive behaviour therapy is clearly efficacious with GAD. We should start using it more and be less prone to use things off the pad," Dr. Neilson said, although she added it's not always available in smaller centres.
However, relaxation therapies and massages are widely available, she added.
"Hand massage, foot massages and back massages-all those things are very helpful for the somatic symptoms of depression. A lot of drug plans cover massage therapy and we don't use it enough," Dr. Neilson said.
Canadian massage therapists agree they can help. "More family doctors are indeed referring patients to us," Beth MacKenzie, past-president of the Canadian Massage Therapist Alliance, said in an interview.
"Massage therapy works by increasing the parasympathetic nervous system firing, which in turn helps decrease the sympathetic nervous response so the client feels more relaxed."
Copyright Rogers Publishing Limited Sep 7, 2004[Headnote]
Doctors should he aware of non-drug therapies available
CHARLOTTETOWN - Patients with anxiety can be a challenge for family doctors because it's a symptom of many different disorders.
"It's very important for family doctors to determine what syndrome is associated with that symptom," Dr. Grainne Neilson, lecturer in psychiatry at Dalhousie University, told FPs here.
"Anxiety can be a normal state, a normal trait, part of another psychiatric disorder, part of a medical disorder or a disorder in and of itself. So it is important to think about what the differential is and to investigate appropriately and to treat appropriately."
In particular, general anxiety disorder (GAD) can exist by itself or can be a co-morbidity with just about any psychiatric disorder, she said. She outlined all the various drug therapies but noted there are several non-drug treatments.
"Cognitive behaviour therapy is clearly efficacious with GAD. We should start using it more and be less prone to use things off the pad," Dr. Neilson said, although she added it's not always available in smaller centres.
However, relaxation therapies and massages are widely available, she added.
"Hand massage, foot massages and back massages-all those things are very helpful for the somatic symptoms of depression. A lot of drug plans cover massage therapy and we don't use it enough," Dr. Neilson said.
Canadian massage therapists agree they can help. "More family doctors are indeed referring patients to us," Beth MacKenzie, past-president of the Canadian Massage Therapist Alliance, said in an interview.
"Massage therapy works by increasing the parasympathetic nervous system firing, which in turn helps decrease the sympathetic nervous response so the client feels more relaxed."