Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)



Dorothy Lynn Crider



DEFINITIONS


Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes conventional medical treatment and alternative therapies (natural modalities). Often the health care professional is not aware that the patient is using additional therapies.


Integrative medicine is a practice where the health care practitioner and patient work together to combine conventional medical treatments and alternative therapies. This provides a collaborative and holistic approach to health care.


Alternative medicine is generally considered a method where the patient rejects the conventional medical treatment and chooses “natural healing modalities” instead.


Some 28% to 91% of cancer patients are reported to use some form of CAM. Among cancer patients using CAM, 40% to 70% are not reporting their use of CAM to their health care practitioners. Users of CAM are most likely to be female, highly educated, of higher socioeconomic class and to use more than one CAM at a time.



WHAT ARE NATURAL HEALING METHODS?


Most of the natural methods are based on the idea that the body can heal itself and the therapies are aimed at assisting the body to do so. Many natural methods also embrace the concept of treating the whole person by addressing physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs. Natural modalities also place value on promoting health, preventing illness, and working with the body to restore health when disease occurs.


People turn to natural healing modalities for a variety of reasons including the following:



• Rising health care costs


• Untoward side effects of medications/procedures


• Failure of conventional treatment


• Decreased personal attention from conventional medical practitioners


• A desire for more control over health


• Feelings of depersonalization with increased technology in conventional medicine


• A belief that combining natural healing and medicine would net better results


• Conventional health care providers are suggesting CAM



WHAT ARE THE NATURAL SYSTEMS/THERAPIES THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING?


It is well documented that more and more people include some type of natural healing in their own self-care. The research varies depending on which modalities are being tested, but we see that billions of dollars are spent by Americans every year on “natural healing” supplements and treatments. There is a wide range of natural healing practices and modalities that patients engage in. Examples include prayer, yoga, qigong, breath work, guided imagery, chiropractic, diet, herbs, meditation, energy-based healing, acupuncture, massage, dance, art, sound healing, magnetics, radionics, aromatherapy, thought field therapy, naturopathy, and vibrational healing. Some patients may also try whole health system approaches from other cultures such as traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda, or Tibetan medicine. These approaches are very integrated and may require life style commitments such as diet and routines for exercise and sleep.

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Mar 1, 2017 | Posted by in NURSING | Comments Off on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

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