Differences in Complementary/Alternative Medicine
By Debra Rodzinak
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a new category of medicine that involves combining a variety of different approaches to treatment that do not fall within the standard parameters of conventional medicine. Even though these approaches are vastly different, they are often grouped together.
Defining Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Used together with traditional medical remedies, complementary medicine denotes the healing practices and merchandise that work in combination with traditional medicine. For example, a cancer patient may use acupuncture to help with nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.
Alternative medicine is different in that instead of working as a complementary part to conventional medicine, alternative medicine is a substitute for traditional medicine. For example, the cancer patient in the previous example would forgo chemotherapy and treat the cancer with specific changes in diet.
Users of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
A survey conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) discovered that about 40 percent of adults use some type of CAM. Women, adults with higher education levels, and adults 40 to 60 tend to use CAM therapies more than other groups. Yoga, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, and meditation are just a few of the CAM’s being utilized by this group.
Categories of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
NCCAM categorizes five different complementary and alternative medicine groups:
- Mind-body medicine – This group includes treatments that focus on the mental and emotional interactions and the body’s ability to function. Meditation and art/music therapies are a few examples of mind-body medicine.
- Whole medical systems – The theory and practice of medicine rooted in non-Western cultures is encompassed in whole medical systems. For example, traditional Chinese medicine and Indian medicine practices that focus on homeopathy and naturopathy fall under the umbrella of whole medical systems.
- Body-based and manipulative practices – Physical manipulation intended to improve particular symptoms and create an overall path to wellness is at the core of body-based and manipulative practices. Chiropractic and osteopathy are examples of body-based and manipulative practices.
- Energy medicine – By using an energy field to promote healing, energy medicine relies on biofield therapies that are believed to encircle the body. Magnet therapy is an example of how energy medicine is utilized.
- Biologically based practices – The use of herbs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and an overall focus on nutrition are at the core of biologically based practices.
If you are interested in the manipulative practice of chiropractic, drop by The Joint and discuss your treatment options with one of our highly qualified doctors of chiropractic. At The Joint, finding an overall path to wellness is just a walk-in away.