More than half of patients being treated for chronic pain use alternative therapies, such as acupuncture and chiropractic care, but many don't tell their primary doctors. However, better communication between doctors and patients could result in overall better care and less pain, according to a study published in The American Journal of Managed Care.

Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon, surveyed more than 6,000 patients who complained of chronic pain, including back pain, joint pain, arthritis, neck and muscle pain. They found that 58 percent had used chiropractic care or acupuncture, or both.

While most patients shared information about their alternative therapies with their primary doctor, about 35 percent who had acupuncture and 42 percent who underwent chiropractic care didn't tell their doctors. Almost all said they would have shared the information if they had been asked.

"Our study confirms that most of our patients with chronic pain are seeking complementary treatments to supplement the care we provide in the primary care setting," said lead author Charles Elder, M.D., who is also the lead physician for Kaiser Permanente's complementary and alternative medicine program. "The problem is that too often, doctors don't ask about this treatment, and patients don't volunteer the information.

"We want our patients to get better, so we need to ask them about the alternative and complementary approaches they are using," he said. "If we know what's working and what's not working, we can do a better job advising patients, and we may be able to recommend an approach they haven't tried."

According to the Institute of Medicine, approximately 100 million Americans each year complain of chronic pain.