Complementary Health Practices for U.S. Military, Veterans, and Families

Many military personnel and veterans have chronic pain, a condition that can be debilitating and difficult to treat. Opioid medications are often prescribed, but they’re not very effective for long-term pain, and they have serious risks. Safer and more effective approaches for pain management are needed.

Our agency is leading an $81 million collaboration with other National Institutes of Health agencies, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out large-scale studies on nondrug approaches for managing pain and related conditions in military and veteran health care delivery organizations. The types of approaches being studied include mindfulness/meditative interventions, movement interventions (such as structured exercise, tai chi, and yoga), manual therapies (such as spinal manipulation, massage, and acupuncture), and psychological and behavioral interventions (such as cognitive behavioral therapy).

As we honor those who have served our country this Veterans Day, we feel privileged to be part of this effort to develop better ways to manage their health problems.