Alternative Medicine: What’s In It For You?
Written by Debra Kirchhof-Glazier
Alternative medicine is emerging as a viable part of our health care system. What is it, and what does it have to offer?
Alternative medicine is part of what is known as CAM, and CAM is part of integrative medicine. CAM is the acronym for “Complementary and Alternative Medicine” and includes a variety of medical systems, therapies, and products that are currently outside the mainstream of conventional western medicine. Integrative medicine involves combining conventional medicine with CAM therapies for which there is good evidence for safety and effectiveness. The difference between complementary and alternative medicine refers to whether or not these systems, therapies, and products are used in conjunction with conventional medicine. If used alone, they are considered alternative. An example would be using acupuncture rather than steroids to treat arthritis. If the alternative treatment is used in combination with conventional medicine, it is considered complementary medicine. Examples include supplementing drugs with aromatherapy to relieve depression and using polarity to relieve post-surgical pain.
The focus of CAM is on nontoxic treatment of chronic conditions, disease prevention, and stress management, which makes it an ideal partner for conventional medicine, which excels at treating acute conditions and managing emergencies. It is estimated that 85% of health care dollars are spent on the chronically ill and the “worried well”. Therefore, the potential benefit to society of using effective CAM therapies is enormous.
There are five main components of complementary and alternative medicine. These include alternative medical systems, mind-body healing techniques, biologically based therapies, manipulation and bodywork, and energy therapies.
Alternative medical systems are comprehensive philosophical approaches to healing. Systems that originated in the west include homeopathy, naturopathic medicine, and iridology. Homeopathy works according to the Law of Similars and treats disease by using dilute preparations of substances that in high doses mimic the symptoms of the disease being treated. Naturopathic medicine utilizes a variety of techniques, therapies, and natural preparations that are intended to cultivate the body’s ability to heal itself. Iridology uses various physical characteristics of the eye to discern overall health and to identify areas of illness. Two of the most commonly known eastern systems are Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. Ayurvedic medicine identifies three basic body types and focuses on balancing life energies through natural remedies and attention to the mind-body connection. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the notion of harmony and balance, moderation and prevention, and treats patients with herbs, acupuncture, and tui na massage.
Mind-body healing occurs through a variety of techniques and practices, some of which have been widely used in our culture. These include prayer, meditation, guided imagery, yoga, aromatherapy, art and music therapy, shamanic healing through drumming and ritual, and ta’i qi and its related counterpart, qi gong.
Biologically based therapies work through physiological processes and are the closest of the CAM therapies to conventional medicine. These include botanical or herbal medicine, nutritional therapies, and hydrotherapy, in which water applied internally or externally stimulates physiological responses that aid in healing.
Manipulation and bodywork involve manual techniques that optimize body alignment, increase circulation of blood and lymph, reduce muscle tension, and/or stimulate healing and an overall sense of well-being. Massage and chiropractic are among the most well-known. In addition, there are lymph drainage techniques, manipulation techniques as practiced by osteopathic and naturopathic physicians, craniosacral therapy, in which gentle manipulation of bones of the skull and their attached membranes enhances the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, myofascial release, in which light pressures facilitate release of connective tissue restrictions, and reflexology, in which pressure applied to specific areas of the feet or hands influences various organs and glands in the body.
The final area of CAM involves energy therapies. These are the most controversial and represent what many have identified as a shift from a mechanistic, Newtonian model of medicine to an Einsteinian model that acknowledges the intimate interrelationship between matter and energy. A new field of vibrational or energy medicine is emerging that acknowledges the existence of primary subtle energetic fields that underlie and contribute to the expression and state of health of the physical body. Energy therapies fall into two main categories. The first are biofield therapies that involve a practitioner interfacing with the natural energy field of the patient. These include Reiki, in which the practitioner channels healing energy, commonly by laying on of hands; therapeutic touch, which involves balancing of energy fields surrounding the body; polarity, which works to enhance the flow of electromagnetic forces within the body; and consegrity, in which the practitioner facilitates healing by mirroring the patient’s energy. The second category is less esoteric and involves application of biomagnetic fields to enhance healing. These include magnetic therapy and AC/DC fields. For example, magnets have been shown to increase circulation, and AC/DC currents can accelerate healing rates of fractured bones.
Public interest in CAM is high, and complementary and alternative therapies are rapidly making inroads into our health care system. Many patients experience serious side effects from drugs and sometimes fail to find relief after costly medications and surgery. Others are told that nothing can be done to help them, and they must learn to live with their conditions. Such patients often explore CAM therapies, and many experience dramatic improvements. Positive outcomes have resulted in an explosion of public interest in complementary and alternative medicine. A survey by the American Association of Hospitals for the year 2000 found that around 40% of Americans tried alternative medicine. In recent years patients spent over $25 billion out of pocket annually for alternative and complementary treatments, and visits to CAM practitioners exceeded visits to primary care doctors.
Not surprisingly, serious interest in CAM is now also coming from mainstream medicine. Integrative medical centers are appearing, and complementary and alternative modalities are being offered in community hospitals across the country. Many medical schools are teaching students about CAM and are forming partnerships to facilitate research, education, and clinical evidence for CAM therapies. Last fall Georgetown University in Washington D.C. became the first medical school to offer a Master’s Degree in Complementary and Alternative Medicine through their Physiology Department. In addition, Columbia University established the Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and is offering a subspecialty of Integrative Therapies in their Advanced Practice Nursing program. And finally, the evidence basis for many therapies is growing, and research on CAM modalities is now appearing in prestigious scientific journals.
Overall, CAM reflects a paradigm shift away from the dominant disease-oriented model to a wellness model. Most modalities have few or no side effects, and some can be done by lay people with minimal training. However, there are caveats. “Natural” is not always harmless, and some therapies require a great deal of knowledge and skill. Not every practitioner of the more complex modalities is a trained professional, and not every treatment has proven value. In addition, CAM therapies are not always 100% effective for every condition. There are times when drugs and surgery become necessary. It is very important that consumers of CAM therapies understand the risks and benefits and that they seek out qualified CAM practitioners and effective treatments. One helpful resource is the website for the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health at http://nccam.nih.gov/.
It is interesting to note that twenty different CAM modalities are currently being offered by practitioners in Huntingdon and surrounding communities. These include yoga, massage, chiropractic, herbal medicine, aromatherapy, craniosacral therapy, homeopathy, art therapy, consegrity, reflexology, hydrotherapy, shamanic healing, iridology, lymph drainage, nutritional therapy, meditation and guided imagery, polarity, Reiki, magnetic therapy, and therapeutic touch. The Huntingdon Health and Wellness Association can assist area residents in locating these practitioners.
In summary, complementary and alternative medicine is an emerging part of our health care system. CAM therapies used in conjunction with conventional medicine in an integrated model can greatly enhance the health and well-being of patients. Furthermore, the emphasis of complementary and alternative medicine on wellness, stress reduction, and nontoxic management of chronic diseases promises not only to enhance the health of individuals but the health of our community as well. It behooves us all to find out more about the various options for health care and to do what we can to foster dialogue and mutual respect between conventional and CAM practitioners.
The Huntingdon Health and Wellness Association makes no medical claims or recommendations. Check with your doctor about your specific health care needs.