Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is an initiative in medicine that falls under the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM, 2013). The role of NCCAM is to identify complementary and alternative medicine practices using laborious scientific approaches and develop an evidence base that outlines the safety and effectiveness of such practices (Lubkin, 2012).
Alternative Medicine
According to the NCCAM website (2013), alternative medicine refers to medicine, which has been developed using a non-mainstream approach instead of using conventional medicine. For instance, the use of special diets to treat cancer, as opposed to going through chemotherapy or surgery is a form of alternative medicine (NCCAM, 2013). However, using alternative medicine on its own is not common and in most cases is used hand in hand with conventional medicine.
Complementary Medicine
This refers to non-mainstream medicine that is used in conjunction with conventional medicine. For example, aromatherapy is a form of complementary medicine that is used to reduce a patient’s discomfort following surgery.
Integrative Medicine
Integrative medicine uses a combination of both CAM therapies, which have sufficient high quality scientific evidence based on clinical trials in conjunction with mainstream medical therapies (NCCAM, 2013). Conventional medicine still is vital for treatment. For instance, in cancer treatment, integrative approaches such as meditation and acupuncture are used in conjunction with conventional form of cancer treatment such as chemotherapy.
Philosophy of CAM
Five Domains of Therapies According the NCCAM website
Alternative Medical Systems
These medical systems are based on complete methods of theory and continuous practice. Examples include naturopathic medicine and homeopathic medicine (NCCAM, 2013). Other examples include the traditional Ayurveda and Chinese medicine (NCCAM, 2013).
Mind Body Interventions
These medicines are designed to enhance or promote the capacity of the mind and other bodily functions. Examples include meditation, mental healing, prayer, therapeutic approaches such as drawing, listening to music, and dance.
Biologically Based Therapies
These therapies use substances that are obtained from nature. These include foods, herbs and vitamins (NCCAM, 2013). There are normally in the form of herbal products and dietary supplements.
Energy Therapies
Energy therapies include biofield therapies and bioelectromagnetic-based therapies (NCCAM, 2013). Biofield therapies are aimed to influence energy fields that are supposedly surround and penetrate the human body. An example is Reiki (NCCAM, 2013). The bioelectromagnetic-based therapies utilize unusual electromagnetic fields such as direct current fields and magnetic fields.
Manipulative and Body Based Methods
Involve the working on of different body parts. Significant examples include chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation and massage (NCCAM, 2013).
Massage
A massage therapist will use hands to work on muscles and tissues. Thus, the massage is aimed at improving blood circulation in the muscles. Massage is used as a complementary medicine as it helps to reduce anxiety and increase the psychological wellbeing of cancer patients. Massage is used as an integrative medicine when done on pregnant women, which helps to reduce trauma during birth. According to Walco and Goldschneider (2008), a study conducted on children with lymphoblastic leukemia showed that frequent massages for a duration of one month resulted in an increase white blood cell count
Meditation
Meditation involves the process of training the mind to focus. These helps in reducing stress that may be pain related (Walco and Goldschneider, 2008). It has been established that meditation reduces pain symptoms in individuals living with chronic pain conditions (Walco and Goldschneider, 2008). Meditation is used as an integrative medicine and a complementary medicine in the treatment of individuals with chronic pain conditions.
References
Lubkin, I. M. (2012). Chronic illness: impact and interventions (8th Ed.). Burlington, Mass.:
Jones & Bartlett Learning.
NCCAM (2013). Complementary, Alternative, or Integrative Health: What’s In a Name?
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam
Passarelli, T., (2008). Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States. Retrieved
Walco, G. A., & Goldschneider, K. R. (2008). Pain in children a practical guide for primary
care. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press.
