Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Outside the Western health care system is an entire world of medical treatment practices to which many Americans have little exposure. These therapies are lumped into a single category known as “complementary medicine and alternative medicine” (CAM). Though the effectiveness and usefulness of some treatments are questioned, not all remain outside the mainstream. Many are now widely available and encouraged in western health care, according to the National Institute of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Expand All Guide SectionsWhat Is Complementary and Alternative Medicine?
“Alternative medicine” and “complementary medicine” are terms for therapies ... read more »
Types of CAM
The phrase “complementary and alternative medicine” encompasses a wide variety of ... read more »
Finding an Alternative Medicine Doctor
Because alternative and complementary medical practitioners aren’t always in the mainstream ... read more »
CAM News and Research
The Web has a number of databases that house alternative and complementary medicine research. As some CAM treatments are integrated more into medicine, research interest grows. These sites will help you stay up to date on the latest CAM information.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Though many sites have alternative medicine research databases, not all of those are the most up to date. Be sure to look for updated information, which is usually found at the bottom of the page.
Dulcinea's Picks
For alternative treatment news …
ScienceDaily
has articles about alternative medicine news and research. Recent headlines include a report on acupuncture helping with in vitro fertilization, and how some herbal supplement ingredients could help prostate cancer progress. This site rewrites information provided by the organizations that conduct the research, so there may not be the opposing viewpoints found in standard news.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science
has a service called EurekAlert!, which posts press releases about research. While informative, these releases may not present the different viewpoints found in traditional news. This page is full of alternative medicine releases that are current. Titles include “Using flower power to fight foot woes” and “7-year neck pain study sheds light on best care.”
MSNBC
has a site full of alternative medicine news. Some stories discuss talking to your conventional doctor about CAM treatments or antioxidant studies.
For CAM research …
The Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
at Columbia University has an extensive, well-organized directory of CAM research databases. The databases are divided by topic, such as “Main Databases specific to Alternative and Complementary Medicine” and “Traditional Medicine Databases.” This page also briefly describes each database and lists whether it is free, so there are no surprises. This site is a good jumping-off point to explore CAM research.
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