Dear Editor, Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a common disease with a prevalence of about 1%.1 Patients commonly suffer from pain, disfigurement and psychosocial embarrassment, and have a worse quality of life compared to other dermatologic conditions.2,3 It is frequently misdiagnosed as other skin infections and delays in diagnosis are associated...

The dried roots of the herb ginseng spp. (Araliaceae) have been used for centuries in Asian countries such as China, Japan and Korea. The oldest Chinese pharmacopia, Sheng-nong Ben-cao Jing, listed ginseng as a tonic with a myriad of effects (anti-aging, liver tonic, vital energy replenishment) and prescribed for...

Traditional medicine includes the knowledge and practices that rely exclusively on practical experience and observations handed down from generations to generations, either verbally or in writing. Traditional systems of medicine in India are culturally acceptable and usually inexpensive. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Burn trauma, accident wounds and chronic wounds remain major problems in many countries. In the United States, approximately 2.5 million people with burn injury seek medical care with 80,000 hospitalisations and 12,000 deaths annually. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to...

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the most common sexual problem in men after premature ejaculation. ED, which usually has psychogenic and organic causes, is defined as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection for satisfactory sexual performance. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF”...

Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) are derivatives of natural products that have been used for centuries in China to treat a variety of human disorders, including immune-mediated disorders. The development of immunosuppressive agents with high efficacy and minimal toxicities has been the focus of novel drug research. This article is available...

Moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) is an example of an alternative remedy proposed in the management of burn injuries. Developed in the late 1980s at the China National Science and Technology Centre in Beijing with its clinical use reported originally from China,1 MEBO is a petrolatum-based ointment containing sesame...

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history but its efficacy is not as well-documented as one would hope. Proof of efficacy has to come from clinical trials, i.e., prospective experiments for assessing the results of medical interventions. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Chinese medicine individualises its treatment plan and practice and refutes any general law. Therefore, Chinese medicine practitioners do not have the tradition of research. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Practice outside of mainstream or conventional medicine has always been an important part of public healthcare in some countries, particularly in the developing world. Recently the use of complementary-alternative medicine (CAM) has grown in popularity worldwide. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on...

Population studies on pain prevalence are useful in determining the impact that chronic pain has on the society. It draws the attention of healthcare administrators to chronic pain as a problem and direct healthcare spending accordingly. Previous studies performed using variations in definitions and methodology, yielded rates between 10%...

Studies show that the incidence of chronic pain is approximately 18% in Australia and developed countries in Europe. In Asia, data from Hong Kong and Singapore indicate that chronic pain is experienced by about 10% of adults, with chronic pain being more common in women and older adults. In...

Chronic pain is a prevalent disease that is often diffi cult to manage. According to a World Health Organisation survey, the worldwide prevalence of chronic pain is in the range of 20% to 30%. Chronic pain disease has an impact not only on the individuals’ general health and psychological health,...

Complementary and alternative medicine practices and products are often believed to be holistic and natural cures for many aliments. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the most commonly used forms of complementary medicine in our culture. Rather than treating just the disease condition alone, TCM philosophy strives to...