Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Basics

Description

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not currently considered as part of conventional medicine and are used in conjunction with (complementary medicine) or in place of conventional medicine (alternative medicine).

  • Integrative medicine is the coordinated combination of complementary medicine with conventional medicine.
  • Examples:
    • Meditation, mindfulness, relaxation
    • Yoga
    • Specialized diets
    • Herbal supplements
    • Massage
    • Osteopathic manipulative therapy
    • Chiropractic therapy
    • Ayurveda
    • Qigong
    • Tai chi
  • Common reasons patients choose CAM
    • Additive therapy to address issues not covered by conventional medical treatment
    • Conventional medicine has been unsuccessful in fully addressing the ailment.
    • Preventative health care and/or a desire for a more holistic/natural/noninvasive approach to well-being
    • Concern about medication side effects
    • Cultural or familial belief systems

Epidemiology

  • All ages use CAM; the most common use is among 30- to 69-year-old females (1).
  • Estimated 70% of North Americans have tried at least one form of CAM (2).
  • CAM is most frequently used to treat musculoskeletal issues; 59–90% of patients claim that the use of alternative therapy helped their chronic pain (1).

Prevalence
CAM is most frequently used to treat musculoskeletal issues; 59–90% of patients claim that the use of alternative therapy helped their chronic pain.

Commonly Associated Conditions

Acute/chronic pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, poor quality sleep, fatigue, symptoms from cancer diagnosis and side effects from treatment, headache/migraine, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), depression/anxiety, low libido, weight loss, asthma, eczema, tinnitus, autoimmune disease

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