ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not

generally considered part of conventional medicine. Conventional medicine (also called Western or allopathic medicine) is medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) and D.O. (doctor of osteopathic medicine) degrees and by allied health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses. -National Alternative Medicine. Complementary medicine" refers to use of CAM together with conventional medicine, such as using acupuncture in addition to usual care to help lessen pain. Most use of CAM by Americans is complementary. "Alternative medicine" refers to use of CAM in place of conventional medicine. "Integrative medicine" combines treatments from conventional medicine and CAM for which there is some high-quality evidence of safety and effectiveness. It is also called integrated medicine. -National Alternative Medicine. Center for Complementary and Center for Complementary and

The main difference of Alternative medicine from Complementary Medicine is that in alternative, you use it to replace, while in complementary, you use it with the conventional medicine. Five broad categories of CAM A. B. C. D. E. Whole medical systems Biologically Based practices Energy Medicine Manipulative and body Mind Body Medicine

A. Whole Medical Systems Whole medical systems are built upon complete systems of theory and practice. Often, these systems have evolved apart from, and earlier than, the standard medical approach used in the United States. Examples of whole medical systems that have developed in non-Western cultures include traditional

Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. Examples of systems that have developed in Western cultures include homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine. 1. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, is a healing system that dates back more than 5,000 years. It is based on the concept that disease results from disruption in the flow of vital energy, or qi (pronounced "chee") in the body. The flow of qi is maintained by keeping a balance in the two forces known as yin and yang. TCM uses specific principles to analyze symptomssuch as cold/heat, interior/exterior, excess/deficiency, and yin yang; and the theory of five elementsfire, earth, metal, water, and woodto explain how the body works. TCM uses a number of therapeutic approaches such as acupuncture and moxibustion, herbs and other natural products, and massage. 2. Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Herbs Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points on the body by a variety of techniques, including the insertion of thin metal needles through the skin. It is intended to remove blockages in the flow of qi and restore and maintain health. Moxibustion is the application of heat from the burning of an herb (usually mugwort) at the acupuncture point. Herbs and other natural products in TCM are usually used together in formulas to fit a person's specific condition. 3. Ayurvedic Medicine Ayurveda (pronounced "i-yer-vay-duh"), which means "the science of life" in Sanskrit, originated in India and evolved there over thousands of years. Its goal is to prevent disease and promote well-being by bringing the body, mind, and spirit into balance. Ayurveda also proposes treatments for specific health problems. Three types of energy called doshas are believed to form important characteristics of each person's body constitution and to control bodily activities. Imbalances in the doshas, which can be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, diet, too little or too much mental or physical exertion, the weather, chemicals, or germs, can lead to illness. Ayurvedic medicine relies on therapies such as diet, exercise, meditation, herbs, massage, cleansing, exposure to sunlight, and controlled breathing. The

goals of treatment are to eliminate impurities, reduce symptoms, reduce worry, increase harmony in a person's life, and increase resistance to disease. 4. Homeopathy Homeopathy originated in Europe and has been practiced in the United States since the early 19th century. Its goal is to help the body heal itself by using very small doses of highly diluted substances that in larger doses would produce illness or symptoms. Most homeopathic remedies are derived from natural substances that come from plants, minerals, or animals. A homeopathic practitioner selects treatments based upon a total picture of a person's health and evaluates not only physical symptoms but the emotions, psychological state, body type, genetic and personal health history, and other aspects. In homeopathy, different people with the same symptoms may receive different homeopathic remedies. 5. Naturopathy Like homeopathy, naturopathy originated in Europe, but it also includes ancient and modern therapies from other traditions. Naturopathy attempts to help the body heal itself, and naturopaths consider a person's physical, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social circumstances when evaluating treatment. The emphasis is on supporting health rather than fighting disease. Practitioners of naturopathy prefer to use treatment approaches that they consider to be the most natural and least invasive, relying on methods other than standard medications and surgery. They focus on changes in diet and lifestyle and on preventing disease, together with CAM therapies such as herbs and massage.

-NIH Senior Health: Complementary and Alternative Medicine B. Biologically Based Practice The CAM domain of biologically based practices includes, but is not limited to, botanicals, animal-derived extracts, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, prebiotics and probiotics, whole diets, and functional foods. Dietary supplements are a subset of this CAM domain. In the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994, Congress defined a dietary supplement as a product taken by mouth that contains a "dietary ingredient" intended to supplement the diet. -National Institute for Health

C. Energy Medicine Energy medicine, energy therapy or energy healing, a branch of complementary and alternative medicine, holds the belief that a healer can channel healing energy into the person seeking help by different methods: hands-on, hands-off, and distant (or absent) where the patient and healer are in different locations. -The London Times Energy medicine focuses on practices that involve manipulation of various energy fields to affect health. Such fields may be characterized as veritable (measurable) or putative (yet to be measured). Practices based on veritable forms of energy include those involving electromagnetic fields (e.g., magnet therapy and light therapy). Practices based on putative energy fields (also called biofields) generally reflect the concept that human beings are infused with subtle forms of energy; qi gong, Reiki, and healing touch are examples of such practices. The 2007 NHIS found relatively low use of putative energy therapies. Only 0.5 percent of adults and 0.2 percent of children had used energy healing/Reiki (the survey defined energy healing as the channeling of healing energy through the hands of a practitioner into the client's body).
- National Institute for Health

D. Manipulative and Body based Practices Manipulative and body-based practices focus primarily on the structures and systems of the body, including the bones and joints, soft tissues, and circulatory and lymphatic systems. Two commonly used therapies fall within this category: Spinal manipulation is practiced by health care professionals such as chiropractors, osteopathic physicians, naturopathic physicians, physical therapists, and some medicaldoctors. Practitioners perform spinal manipulation by using their hands or a device to apply a controlled force to a joint of the spine. The amount of force applied depends on the form of manipulation used. The goal of the treatment is to relieve pain and improve physical functioning. Spinal manipulation is among the treatment options used by people with low-back paina very common condition that can be difficult to treat.

The term massage therapy encompasses many different techniques. In general, therapists press, rub, and otherwise manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues of the body. People use massage for a variety of healthrelated purposes, including to relieve pain, rehabilitate sports injuries, reduce stress, increase relaxation, address anxiety and depression, and aid general well-being. E. Mind body Medicine Mind and body practices focus on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior, with the intent to use the mind to affect physical functioning and promote health. Many CAM practices embody this conceptin different ways. Meditation techniques include specific postures, focused attention, or an open attitude toward distractions. People use meditation to increase calmness and relaxation, improve psychological balance, cope with illness, or enhance overall health and well-being. The various styles of yoga used for health purposes typically combine physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation. People use yoga as part of a general health regimen, and also for a variety of health conditions. Acupuncture is a family of procedures involving the stimulation of specific points on the body using a variety of techniques, such as penetrating the skin with needles that are then manipulated by hand or by electrical stimulation. It is one of the key components of traditional Chinese medicine, and is among the oldest healing practices in the world. - National Institute for Health

Alternative Medicine

Tajan, Ivan William A.