| Complimentary and Alternative Medicine | CAM |
| Complimentary Therapy | Treatments used in addition to conventional health care regimens recommended by a persons health care provider |
| Alternative Therapy | Interventions used in place of conventional western medicine |
| Allopathic Medicine | Traditional or Conventional Western Medicine |
| Why is taking a good health history important in relation to a patient using CAM? | CAM may interfere with allopathic treatments. Some patients may be uncomfortable with sharing or may overlook CAM they are currently using that may be vital knowledge in choosing allopathic treatments. |
| Herbal vs. Pharmaceutical | Herbal treatments generally include an unpurified extract of the whole plant. Pharmaceuticals based from plants include only the active part while all other parts are separated out and discarded |
| Chiropractic Therapy | Form of therapy based on the holistic belief in body's capacity to heal itself. By adjusting the joints of the body by gentle manipulation to put an area of disturbed structural integrity back into proper alignment. |
| Why is Chiropractic Therapy more accepted by allopathic medicine? | It uses diagnostics such as xrays and its basis on the musculoskeletal system make it more acceptable to the medical community |
| What are the benefits of Chiropractic Therapy? | Its widely accepted by the medical community, so it is more likely to be used complimentary vs. alternatively |
| Basic Concept of Acupuncture and Acupressure | Qi(life force) flows through the body along the 12 meridians of the human body. These meridians become blocked thus causing disease and discomfort. |
| Acupuncture | method of stimulating certain points of the body by insertion of tiny needles to modify pain perception, normalize physiologic functions or treat/prevent illness. |
| Indications of Acupuncture | Lower back pain, Myofascial pain, simple and migraine headaches, sciatica, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, osteoarthritis, whiplash, sinusitis, GI disorders, bladder leakage, neurologic disorders, chronic pulmonary disease, addiction,depression and musculoskeletal sprains |
| Acupressure | use of gentle pressure at certain points in the body, applied with hands or a small blunt object, to prevent of relieve symptoms of muscle tension |
| Therapeutic Massage | Manipulation of soft tissue in order to assist the body in healing. |
| Benefits of Therapeutic Massage | May be relaxing or energizing |
| Counter-Indications of Therapeutic Massage | Acute back pain, phlebitis, thrombosis, bruised or edematous areas, infectious skin diseases, abdominal massage in pregnancy |
| Aromatherapy | Use of pure essential oils to provide health benefits(May be dispersed in air or applied to skin through massage or bathing |
| Benefits of Aromatherapy | Scents may relax or stimulate, improve digestion, increase hormone production, reduce nausea, improve memory and improve circulation |
| Counter-Indications of Aromatherapy | Scents may induce unintended psychological effects, nausea. Atopic Eczema and asthma potential counter-indications |
| Animal Assisted Therapy | Use of trained animals to enhance an individuals physical, emotional and social well-being. |
| Benefits of AAT | Animals have a calming effect on patients(Reducing Blood Pressure and Anxiety), decrease loneliness, and bring out positive social characteristics |
| Why are CAMs more openly accepted in recent years(5)? | 1) The perception that the treatments offered by medical profession do not provide relief for a variety of illness.
2)The increasing interest of patients in becoming more educated in their health and taking on a more active role in their care
3)Increasing number of articles in medical journals on CAM therapies
4)Increased television coverage
5)Attraction to a holistic health care approach |
| NCCIH | National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health |
| NCCIH mission | To define through rigorous scientific investigation, the usefulness and safety of complementary and integrative health interventions and their roles in improving health and health care |
| Herbal Therapy | Restoration of balance within the individual by facilitating the persons self-healing capacity |
| Cons of Herbal Therapy | Herbal products are less rigorously studied, Reduced levels of accountability for manufacturers, varied product potency from product to product, risk of toxicity if patients do not accurately report herbal therapies used |
| Routes of Herbal Therapy Treatments | Capsule or tablet form, Tinctures, teas, topical ointment or salve |
| What are tinctures | made by placing herbs in alcohol or vinegar and allowing them to sit until the liquid absorbs the properties of the herb. The liquid is then strained and used. |
| Healing touch and Reiki | Use of own energy field to interact with anothers energy field, Providing holistic relief |
| Reflexology | Based on the premise that it is possible to exert and effect on the entire body by applying pressure to specific areas on the hands feet and ears. |
| Benefits of Reflexology | 1)Relaxes the body and removes stress
2)Enhances Circulation
3)Assists the body in normalizing metabolism naturally
4)Complements other healing modalities |
| Benefits from Magnet Therapy | Vasodilation, Anti-Inflammatory Effects, Analgesia, Anti-Edema, Improved Healing |
| Benefits of Herbal Therapy | Comes from whole plant and is considered gentler than pharmaceuticals, allows patient active role in health, |
| Counter-Indications for Reflexology | Diabetics who use artificial insulin |
