High-frequency Heart Rate Variability May Inhibit the Production of Proinflammatory Cytokines

In a recent study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh and published in the October volume of Psychosomatic Medicine, researchers found that high-frequency heart rate variability, an indirect measure of parasympathetic (vagal) control over variations in heart rate, was associated with lower production of proinflammatory cytokines.

This study of 183 healthy adults, provides initial evidence that vagal activity may represent a pathway linking psychosocial factors to risk for inflammatory disease.

Heart rate variability can be regulated through slow, steady breathing. Biofeedback is a wonderful tool for teaching improved heart rate variability.

Hand and Foot Massage Can Help Hospitalized Patients with Pain and Anxiety

Increasingly, nonpharmacological interventions are being used to lessen pain and anxiety in inpatient populations. In a recent study conducted at the University of North Carolina's Program on Integrative Medicine (Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation), published in the October, 2007 issue of Complementary Health Practice Review, family caregivers were trained in the use of hand and foot massage for management of pain and anxiety. Massage is relatively easy to learn and apply, and human touch can be extremely comforting for hospitalized patients.