Is massage safe for people with lupus?

Yes. If you find that it helps, then good. If you find that it is not helpful, then you should avoid it.

Is acupuncture helpful to people with lupus?

There have been anecdotal reports from people stating that they received acupuncture and believed they benefited from it. This is an area of alternative medicine that requires further controlled scientific studies before we can say whether or not acupuncture is helpful in treating the symptoms of lupus. However, there are studies that show acupuncture can be effective in back pain and fibromyalgia. 

NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine:
Acupuncture Information and Resources Consensus Report on Acupuncture

Does the Lupus Foundation have any recommendations regarding alternative and unproven treatments that are often advertised?

The LFA is frequently asked about alternative therapies for the treatment of lupus. Although we remain hopeful that newer more effective therapies will be developed, we must be cautious regarding products that have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Unsubstantiated Remedies

It is the policy of the Lupus Foundation of America not to make recommendations concerning medications or products that have not been approved by the FDA or the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for the treatment of lupus. In addition, the ACR does not endorse nor warrant any commercial product or service. There is a wealth of information and data available about approved medications and products which help guide physicians in making recommendations to their patients. Remedies that have not undergone the scrutiny of scientific investigation, lack the crucial information and data necessary to enable physicians to make sound recommendations regarding substances.

Evaluation of medications/products by the scientific method is at the present time the best way to prove effectiveness and safety. We urge people with lupus to ask the manufacturer/distributor of any product: what is their proof, other than testimonial, that the product is safe and effective for lupus? If the product has not been approved by the FDA, we cannot vouch for the claims made for the purity, safety, or effectiveness of these substances. Some products may have unlabeled substances such as alfalfa or sulfa that may be harmful to patients with lupus.

The following organizations may have information about alternative therapies or products.

National Institutes of Health
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Phone: 888-644-6226
http://nccam.nih.gov/

Food and Drug Administration
Office of Dietary Supplements
Phone: 301-827-6242
http://www.fda.gov/

United States Pharmacopeia
12601 Twinbrook Parkway
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 301-881-0666
http://www.usp.org/