Alternative Medicine
What is Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (CAM)?
Complementary and alternative
medicine (CAM) is an aggregation of various
medical and health care systems, practices, and products
that are not presently considered to be part of
traditional medicine. Some scientific evidence exists
regarding alternative medicine practices but by and large
there are key questions that are yet to be answered
through scientific studies (i.e. whether these CAM
therapies are safe and whether they work for the diseases
or medical conditions for which they are currently used).
The list of what is considered to be
alternative medicine is fluid and is constantly changing,
as the procedures that are proven to be safe and effective
become adopted into conventional health care and new CAM
approaches to health care emerge.
National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) classifies CAM therapies into
five categories.
1. Alternative Medical Systems
Alternative medical
systems are built upon complete systems of theory and
practice. Examples of some these alternative medical
systems that have developed in Western cultures include:
homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine.
2. Mind-Body Interventions
Mind-body medicine uses a
variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind's
capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms. Some
techniques that were considered alternative medicine in
the past have become mainstream traditional medicinal
technicques. Examples include: patient
support groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Other mind-body techniques that are still considered
alternative include: meditation, prayer,
mental healing, and therapies that use creative
outlets such as art, music, or dance.
3. Biologically Based Therapies
Biologically based
therapies in Alternative Medicine use naturally occurring
substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods, and
vitamins. Some examples include herbal products, and the
use of other so-called natural remedies like shark
cartilage.
4. Manipulative and Body-Based
Methods
Manipulative and
body-based methods in alternative medicine are based on
manipulation and/or movement of one or more parts of the
body. Examples include chiropractic or
osteopathic manipulation, and massage.
5. Energy Therapies
Energy therapies involve
the use of energy fields. They are of two types:
Biofield therapies and
Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies.
|