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 that either replace or supplement conventional Western medical treatments. Generally, practices that aren’t taught in Western medical schools, or aren’t acknowledged by the conventional medical community, are considered complementary or alternative. Some CAM treatments include acupuncture, massage and herbal supplements to maintain wellness.
Dulcinea's Insight
- “Complementary and alternative medicine” is often abbreviated as CAM.
- One of the National Institutes of Health—the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)—is featured prominently in this guide. According to the agency’s site, it was established to “explore complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science” and disseminate that information to the public. NCCAM’s site is full of extensively researched articles about all types of CAM. The site also provides advice and addresses other issues for those seeking treatment.
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For an overview …
NCCAM
provides a general overview of types of complementary and alternative medicine, and how they are classified.
MedicineNet.com
has overviews of complementary and alternative medicine, along with examples of each.
For kids …
KidsHealth
offers an explanation of alternative and complementary medicine for children and teens. This site provides an overview of the differences between complementary and alternative medicine, describes some of the specialties, explains why someone may want CAM and discusses their limitations.
For financial issues …
NCCAM
has an overview of financial issues related to CAM. It offers some questions patients should ask before seeing a CAM practitioner, such as the costs of initial and follow-up appointments, and how many appointments are typically required. This page also discusses methods for financing treatment, like insurance coverage for CAM, including what you can do if a claim has been denied.
For advice before you seek CAM …
MedicineNet.com
offers a list of questions you should ask your doctor when you’re considering CAM. Some patients, especially those undergoing cancer treatments, need to keep their doctors in the loop, because certain complementary treatments can interfere or interact with conventional treatment.
The American Cancer Society
has its own guide for what to do when you’re considering using CAM to treat cancer. It offers tips for discussing the subject with your doctor, and what questions to ask a CAM practitioner.
Types of CAM
The phrase “complementary and alternative medicine” encompasses a wide variety of treatments, from methods that have been practiced for thousands of years by entire countries, to therapies developed by individuals in the last century. Generally, the treatment methods are classified in five different areas: medical systems, body-based and manipulative practices, mind-body practices, biologically based practices and energy medicine.
Dulcinea's Insight
- CAM medical systems are some of the overarching philosophies practitioners study, such as traditional Chinese medicine. Body-based and manipulative practices are those such as massage, while mind-body practices use thoughts to help heal the body, as in guided imagery. Biologically based practices utilize things that are consumed, such as herbal supplements like ginseng. Energy medicine uses tangible and intangible forces, such as magnets, to help people.
- In this section, we’ve provided an overview of the different areas of CAM, along with more information about a couple of the lesser-known methods within them. To research a specific system in more depth, use the health search engines in the “Finding Health Information” section of our findingDulcinea Health Web Guide.
- To learn more about dietary and herbal supplements, see our findingDulcinea Medication Web Guide.
- Read more in-depth information about yoga at our findingDulcinea Yoga Web Guide.
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For medical systems …
NCCAM
has a comprehensive overview of whole medical systems describing the systems of ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy and naturopathy. Ayurvedic medicine originated in India, while naturopathy and homeopathy began in Europe. These systems share similar characteristics, according to NCCAM, namely the belief that the body can heal itself with the help of spirit, mind and body techniques.
WebMD
offers an article on ayurvedic medicine, and explains that five elements (space, air, water, earth and fire) are represented in the body as three doshas: Kapha, Vatta and Pitta. A person’s good health relies on these doshas being in balance. A healthy diet, herbs, yoga, meditation and counseling can all be used to fix the imbalance and restore a person to health.
The University of Maryland Medical Center
has an introduction to naturopathy, a practice that emphasizes disease prevention and well-being. It was introduced in the United States in 1902 with the establishment of the American School of Naturopathy. Naturopaths today may use water therapy, counseling, herbal medicine and detoxification to help a person.
For body-based and manipulative practices …
NCCAM
says a number of practices fall into the body-based category, such as massage therapy, Alexander technique, Trager bodywork, rolfing and Tui Na. Some methods are very old, while others have only been developed in the last century or so. Studies of the clinical benefits of these methods are mixed. With spinal manipulation, for example, there is a little evidence that it can help relieve back pain in the short term, but not much that suggests it’s a long-term benefit.
The American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
in San Francisco says the words “Tui Na” mean “to push” and “to lift and squeeze,” respectively. It has similarities to massage therapy, but acupressure points are also involved. There are no needles used, as practitioners use their hands to massage and remove energy blockages. The college says Tui Na is used to treat or accompany the treatment of all sorts of conditions, including digestive, reproductive and bone and muscle issues.
The European Rolfing Association
describes this therapy as managing the fascial web, or the connective tissue that brings a person’s inner form together. Sometimes this web can be misaligned, and it becomes out of kilter with the earth’s gravitational field. Rolfing works to realign the connective tissue for improved health and well-being.
For mind-body medicine …
NCCAM
offers background information on mind-body medicine that gives examples of the types of therapies included in this field, such as yoga, biofeedback, qigong and visual imagery. Learn the history of mind-body medicine, starting thousands of years ago, and read a summary of how it has been involved in treatments.
The Qigong Institute in California
has a four-minute introductory video on its home page describing qigong as a system with movements similar to tai chi or yoga. More than 80 million people in China practice it each day, according to the institute.
WebMD
explains that autogenic training is teaching “your body to respond to your verbal commands.” Studies have linked the practice to helping asthma, ulcers, cold hands, headaches and a racing heartbeat. It’s not something that someone can expect to master after a couple of sporadic practice sessions, WebMD says. Mastery takes commitment and regular practice.
For biologically based practices …
NCCAM
says biologically based practices include taking vitamins and herbal supplements, prebiotics, probiotics, botanicals, fatty acids, “whole diets” and “functional foods.” These types of therapies are increasingly popular in the United States, according to NCCAM.
The International Probiotics Association
has an introduction to the concepts of prebiotics and probiotics. Essentially, probiotics are microorganisms that can help us when they’ve been ingested, and they are often found in yogurt. Prebiotics are substances that stimulate the helpful organisms in our body.
The International Food Information Council
explains that functional foods are those that provide more than nutrition. They include fruits, vegetables, vitamin-enhanced water and other similarly fortified foods. This page also has a long chart of substances, some foods they are found in, and what health benefits they may offer.
For energy medicine …
NCCAM
divides energy medicine into two types: methods that use measurable energy, such as sound and light, and biofields, which haven’t been measured, but are exploited in acupuncture, qigong and healing touch. Working with these types of energy dates back more than 2,000 years in Asia, and increasingly more people are using them in the United States, according to NCCAM.
Temple University
in Philadelphia is studying millimeter wave therapy with NCCAM grants. This press release describes how the therapy is conducted and gives an overview of its history. The therapy has been used for decades in Eastern Europe to treat all sorts of ailments. It’s believed that millimeter wave therapy can relieve pain, reduce inflammation and boost the immune system without many side effects.
The International Center for Reiki Training
has a slide show that offers an overview of the practice, which was discovered in Japan at the beginning of the 1900s. It is thought to bring relaxation and better health by stimulating an energy field that surrounds every person. A person receives Reiki though a practitioner’s touch. A “Frequently Asked Questions” section offers more detail of the practice.
Finding an Alternative Medicine Doctor
Because alternative and complementary medical practitioners aren’t always in the mainstream health care system, you can’t necessarily find one the way you would a conventional doctor. But as more people seek CAM, that is changing. The Web not only has databases to search, but tips for how to look in your own community and advice for finding a qualified practitioner.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Some states require licensing for certain practitioners, such as chiropractors or massage therapists. But every state has different rules and different ways of doing things. While you can try looking on your state’s Web site, also try calling your state health department. This list of state health departments from the Food and Drug Administration can help you get started.
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For advice in seeking a practitioner …
Discovery Health
has a short article with more tips for checking licensing and affiliations for some alternative practitioners.
NCCAM
has a list of tips for finding a practitioner, such as asking your doctor for a referral and asking your insurance company for a list of participating practitioners if the treatment you are seeking is covered.
For holistic practitioners …
The American Holistic Medical Association
has a searchable database of licensed physicians that practice holistic medicine. Search by city, state or doctor’s name. Narrow your search by clicking on interests, including a variety of specialties and techniques.
For naturopathic physicians …
The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
has a database of its members. Search by name, city, state or zip code.
For acupuncturists …
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
has a database of its members that can be narrowed by different certifications, such as bodywork, acupuncture, herbology and Oriental medicine. Another page allows you to search for members who have had disciplinary action taken against them. Unfortunately, that list only has the person’s name, certification number, and status. No city or state information is available.
For chiropractors …
The American Chiropractic Association
has a database of its members. Narrow your search to certification specialties, such as nutrition, sports physicians, rehabilitation and neurology.
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.
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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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