Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Lupus

What is complementary and alternative medicine?

Complementary and alternative medicine includes a wide range of healing practices that some people use to treat lupus or other conditions. Some examples include herbal supplements, massage therapy, traditional Chinese medicine practices (like acupuncture or Tai Chi), and meditation. 

Medicines and medical treatments from doctors are known as conventional medicine. Complementary medicine means trying other healing practices in addition to conventional treatments, while alternative medicine means trying other healing practices instead of conventional medicine.

What sets conventional medicine apart from complementary and alternative medicine is scientific testing. Conventional medicine therapies must go through a lot of clinical research and testing before they’re approved for treatment. On the other hand, many complementary and alternative therapies haven’t been studied as much. Since we don’t have as much information about these therapies, it can be hard to tell how they will affect you — and there’s no guarantee that they will improve your lupus symptoms.  

Learn more about different types of complementary and alternative medicine, including scientific research being done on them, by visiting the website for the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine.

What if I want to try complementary and alternative medicine?

Many people with lupus find some types of complementary and alternative medicine helpful for managing their symptoms. But keep in mind that less is known about how these therapies work, and there’s no promise that they’ll improve your condition.

It’s also important to know that not all complementary and alternative therapies are safe for people with lupus. For example, some herbal supplements can cause lupus flares. Other supplements can be harmful if you take them together with conventional lupus medicines. That’s why it’s important to talk with your doctor before trying any complementary or alternative medicines or therapies for lupus. Your doctor can tell you if the therapy you want to try is safe.

Lupus is a complex disease. Even if you choose to try complementary and alternative medicines, be sure to take your medicines for lupus exactly as prescribed.

Common complementary and alternative medicines used for lupus

There are many different types of complementary and alternative medicine. Here’s some information about common therapies you may have heard of. Remember — before trying any complementary or alternative medicine, it’s important to talk with your doctor to understand how it might affect your lupus and make sure it’s safe for you.

Practices that improve the mind-body connection

Some complementary and alternative practices focus on the relationship between a person’s thoughts and emotions and their physical health. Examples include:

• Meditation — Meditation includes practices that focus on the mind-body connection and help to calm the mind. Breathing exercises, sounds, visual images, and mantras (a word or phrase that you repeat) can all be part of meditation. So far, there’s not enough research on this practice to understand the benefits and risks for people with lupus. Learn more about meditation.
• Mindfulness meditation — Mindfulness meditation is a little different from other types of medication because it focuses on meeting the present moment with openness and acceptance. It involves techniques like deep breathing, visualization, and gentle awareness of thoughts and sensations. For people with lupus—many of whom experience chronic joint and muscle pain—this mind-body approach may help manage discomfort by reducing sensitivity to pain and easing emotional stress. Although more research is needed, studies suggest mindfulness may help lower pain intensity and improve psychological well-being. Learn more about mindfulness meditation.
• Tai Chi — Tai Chi is part of traditional Chinese medicine. It involves slow, gentle movements, meditation, and breathing exercises. Tai Chi can be especially helpful for psychological wellbeing if you have lupus. It can also help to keep your muscles and joints flexible. Learn more about Tai Chi and read about how Tai Chi and other exercises can help with lupus.
• Biofeedback — Biofeedback is a process for becoming more aware of and learning to control body functions. With biofeedback, patches called electrodes are placed on different parts of your body. The electrodes can measure different body functions, like blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, or muscle tension. Your health care provider will describe a situation or scenario to you and guide you through relaxation techniques. By becoming more aware of how your body responds to stress or relaxation, you can learn how to control or change your responses. People with lupus might use biofeedback to cope with pain. Learn more about biofeedback.
• Yoga — Yoga is a branch of classical Indian philosophy, incorporates meditation, breathing techniques, and exercises to promote overall health. For individuals with lupus, low- to moderate-intensity yoga practices can help maintain cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. While certain yoga disciplines may ease lupus symptoms, it's important to choose practices that are gentle and avoid those that may exacerbate symptoms. Learn more about the different types of yoga and which ones are right for you.

Touch-based therapies for managing lupus symptoms

These therapies are given by special providers with expertise in these techniques. Some people find that they help with pain and other lupus symptoms. Examples include:

• Massage therapy — Massage therapy is used to treat muscle and joint pain. It’s generally safe for most types of lupus — but if you have cutaneous lupus (lupus that affects the skin), use caution. There’s a chance that deep, firm massage techniques can cause koebnerization, which is when new areas of cutaneous lupus form. Koebnerization can also happen if you have an allergic reaction to certain massage oils. Learn more about massage therapy.
• Chiropractic — Chiropractic is practiced by licensed health care providers called chiropractors. They mainly treat muscle and joint pain by moving (or “manipulating”) parts of the body. Chiropractic care may help with some of your lupus symptoms, and there’s relatively low risk to trying this treatment. Learn more about chiropractic.
• Acupuncture — Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine practice that aims to treat pain and other health problems, usually by inserting thin needles into the skin. So far, there aren’t many research studies on acupuncture for treating lupus, but there is some evidence that acupuncture can help treat similar conditions, like arthritis. Learn more about acupuncture.

Supplements to promote wellness

Broadly speaking, supplements are pills, herbs, or other substances that you consume. People who use supplements do so in the hope that it will help with their lupus symptoms or overall wellness — but keep in mind that there’s a lot we don’t know about supplements’ safety and effectiveness. Examples include:

• Herbs or other dietary supplements — Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other substances that you take by mouth. Some herbs and supplements have been studied extensively, while for others, very little is known. People with lupus might take herbs or supplements to help with a variety of symptoms. It’s extremely important to talk to your doctor before taking any herb or supplement to make sure that it’s safe to take with your lupus medicines. Learn more about herbs and dietary supplements.
• Cannabinoids (including THC and CBD) — Cannabinoids are substances from a plant called cannabis (also known as marijuana). THC makes people feel “high,” and CBD may help relieve pain or inflammation. THC and CBD can be consumed together or separately as smoke, vapor, oils, sprays, creams, or edibles. Currently, there’s not enough research to know for sure if cannabinoids are helpful for treating lupus — or if they’re safe. There’s a risk that cannabinoids can be harmful when taken with certain lupus medicines. Learn more about cannabinoids and read more about cannabis and lupus.

Medicine traditions that offer other ways of understanding the body

Alternative medicine traditions are ways of thinking about how the body works that are different than conventional medicine. Examples include:

• Homeopathy — Homeopathy is a tradition that originated in German over 200 years ago. Homeopathic products come from a range of natural sources, including plants, minerals, and animals. Some people use them to treat lupus symptoms — but there’s little scientific evidence that homeopathy is effective or helpful for people with lupus. And some homeopathic products can cause health problems, especially if you take them together with lupus medicines. Learn more about homeopathy.
• Ayurvedic medicine — Ayurveda is an Indian system of medicine. It involves diet, exercise, and lifestyle, as well as Ayurvedic products, which are made from plants, animals, metals, and minerals. Little research has been done on Ayurvedic medicine, and it’s important to know that some Ayurvedic products can contain toxic substances. Learn more about Ayurvedic medicine.
• Naturopathy — Naturopathy is a system of medicine based on 19th-century European medicine. There are many different naturopathic treatments, including diet and lifestyle changes, herbs and other supplements, exercise, detoxification, and others. Some places in the United States require naturopathic practitioners to be licensed, but others don’t. And some doctors offer naturopathic treatments in addition to conventional medicine. Learn more about naturopathy.
• Traditional Chinese medicine — Traditional Chinese medicine includes practices like acupuncture and Tai Chi, as well as herbal products. Some aspects of traditional Chinese medicine (including Tai Chi and acupuncture) may help with pain and are relatively low risk. But keep in mind that other parts of traditional Chinese medicine, like herbal supplements, can be dangerous, especially for people with lupus. Learn more about traditional Chinese medicine.