Healing the Natural Way Through Complementary & Alternative Medicine and Therapies

Defining Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The terms Complementary and Alternative medicine are often used interchangeably as if they mean the same thing. Actually, each is quite different from the other. Complementary medicine refers to medical practices used together with conventional medicine and Alternative medicine is used in place or instead of conventional medicine. For example, following a special diet and nutrition regimen instead of having a child take medication to treat a deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) would be an example of Alternative medicine. Using hypnotherapy (hypnosis) along with pain medication to reduce stress, anxiety to improve relaxation methods for a patient with severe burns would be an example of Complementary medicine.

Healthy Holistic Living
You may have seen Complementary and Alternative medicine described by the acronym CAM. Often CAM is used to describe the unique and diverse group of healing systems not currently considered to be mainstream medicine. Conventional medicine focuses on finding the physical source of illness or disease and then removing it.

Complementary and Alternative medicine however, takes a “holistic” to providing health care and believes the focus is on the whole person—physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. This Alternative Complementary Medicine Practice principle ensures that treatments and therapies are highly personalized, designed to support the body’s natural healing process, and target the cause versus the symptoms of the illness. Patients feel involved in the total process, instead of feeling rushed and not listened to, as with many Conventional medicine practitioners.

Complementary And Alternative Medicine Statistics
Studies suggest the demand for Complementary, Alternative medicines and therapies continues to increase at an overwhelming rate. People are tired of the side effects and long-term implications of using prescription drugs along with having to take even more drugs to counteract the side effects of the original drugs that were taken. Whew! It can be a vicious and never ending cycle. In the age of instant gratification, people no longer want to wait around to see what their doctor has to say, they want to ask questions, understand the issues and become actively involved with their health concerns. That is why Complementary, Alternative medicines and therapies are no longer the exception; they are increasingly becoming part of the rule.

Complementary Therapies and Alternative Medicine Categories
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) classifies CAM therapies into five distinct groups:

• Alternative Medical Systems– are built upon complete systems of practice and theory. Therapies include Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy and naturopathy.

• Biological Medicine – uses substances found in nature, such as foods, vitamins to support good health, and herbs.

• Energy Medicine – entails the use of energy fields that are believed to penetrate and surround the body to promote health. Therapies include, Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, and qi gong.

• Manual Medicine – therapies are based on movement and/or manipulation of one or more parts of the body. Examples include reflexology, osteopathy, chiropractic, massage and physical therapy.

• Mind-Body Medicine – uses techniques to help increase the mind’s ability to influence bodily symptoms and functions. Therapies include yoga, biofeedback, deep relaxation methods, guided imagery, meditation, hypnotherapy, prayer and support groups.

Modalities of Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Some of the most popular alternative and complementary therapies used on a regular basis are:

Acupuncture – used to relieve pain and other conditions such as asthma, depression, insomnia, paralysis and numbness among many others.

Chiropractict – the most common therapy performed is spinal manipulation with other therapies concentrating within the skeletal frame.

Massage Therapy – as chiropractic therapies work within the skeletal frame, massage therapies work the rest of the body to return it to normal function, motion and a level of muscle relaxation.

Physical Therapy - Probably the most used therapy is considered an alternative to medicating the symptoms of an injury. A Physical therapist is considered to perform complementary therapy since the Primary Care Physician (PCP) provides a diagnosis and eliminates problems. A Physical therapist will interview the patient to try and find the root cause of the problem. Once found, a plan is devised to avoid future problems and to correct current issues. Physical therapy is usually covered under most health insurance plans.

Sources: http://www.umm.edu

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