Portal:Complementary and Alternative Medicine
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Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicine describes practices used in place of conventional medical treatments. Complementary medicine describes practices used in conjunction and cooperation with conventional medicine, while integrative medicine is viewed as the best of complementary medicine by its advocates.
The list of therapies included under CAM changes over time. If and when an approach regarded as "unproven therapy" is proven to be safe and effective, it may be adopted into conventional health care and over time may cease to be considered "alternative".
Definitions and descriptions
"Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a broad domain of healing resources that encompasses all health systems, modalities, and practices and their accompanying theories and beliefs, other than those intrinsic to the politically dominant health system of a particular society or culture in a given historical period. CAM includes all such practices and ideas self-defined by their users as preventing or treating illness or promoting health and well-being. Boundaries within CAM and between the CAM domain and the domain of the dominant system are not always sharp or fixed." [1]
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine defines complementary and alternative medicine as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine". It also defines integrative medicine as "[combining] mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies for which there is some high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness".[2]
CAM has been described as comprising "a diverse group of treatments, ranging from symptomatic interventions to be used in conjunction with traditional therapies—therapeutic touch or meditation—to unique treatments meant to replace conventional chemotherapy or surgery. CAM includes complex and longstanding fields of study, such as acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine, and homoeopathy, but can also be as straightforward as taking a specific dietary supplement to lower blood pressure or blood lipid concentrations."[3]
Ralph Snyderman and Andrew Weil state "integrative medicine is not synonymous with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). It has a far larger meaning and mission in that it calls for restoration of the focus of medicine on health and healing and emphasizes the centrality of the patient-physician relationship".[4]
Topics
Looking for a specific topic in CAM?
Any branch or form of complementary and alternative medicine can be classified into one of the following commonly used classification systems.
- Alternative Medical Systems - A list of classical forms of alternative medicine that are built upon a complete system of theory and practice.
- Biologically Based Therapies - Alternative treatments that use substances found in nature and/or some other natural therapy.
- Energy Therapies - Alternative treatments that involve the use of purported energy fields or auras.
- Manipulative Therapies - Alternative treatments that are based on manipulation and/or movement of one or more parts of the body
- Mind-Body Interventions - Covers a variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind's capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms.
Looking for a biography or something else? Try these lists
- Biographies of people in CAM - These articles are about historical people in CAM.
- Glossary of alternative medicine -- A major list of the terms and concepts used in alternative medicine.
- List of branches of alternative medicine - These articles are either about fully developed systems of alternative medicine or they are about generic alternative methods of treatment or therapy.
- Browse CAM related Categories
Selected Article
Chiropractic (from Greek chiros and praktikos meaning "done by hand") is a health care profession whose purpose is to diagnose and treat mechanical disorders of the spine and musculoskeletal system with the intention of affecting the nervous system and improving health.[5] It is based on the premise that a spinal joint dysfunction can interfere with the nervous system and result in many different conditions of diminished health. While some chiropractors use the term vertebral subluxation to describe what they treat, others have dropped this concept and concentrate mostly on the musculoskeletal components of spinal injury and rehabilitation of the spine.[6] In contrast, the term subluxation as used in conventional medicine is usually associated with specific conditions which are a direct consequence of injury to joints or associated nerves.
Selected Picture
Contemporary Use of CAM
The popularity of CAM therapies is extensive. A survey released in May 2004 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine focused on who used complementary and alternative medicine, what was used, and why it was used in the United States during 2002.
- According to this new survey, 36 percent of U.S. adults age 18 years and over use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). When prayer specifically for health reasons is included in the definition of CAM, the number of adults using some form of CAM in 2002 rose to 62 percent ([1], abstract on page 1).
- Consistent with previous studies the present study found that more than half of people used CAM in conjunction with conventional medicine (page 6).
- "The data confirm most earlier observations that most people use CAM to treat and/or prevent musculoskeletal conditions or other conditions associated with chronic or recurring pain" (page 5).
- 85% of people who use CAM self-prescribe or self-medicate rather than seeking help from a licensed CAM provider (page 6).
- "Women were more likely than men to use CAM. The largest sex differential is seen in the use of mind-body therapies including prayer specifically for health reasons" (page 4).
- Use of CAM therapies other than prayer increased with education levels (page 4).
Quotes
"Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease."
Hippocrates, 460 BC - ca. 370 BC
Ancient Greek physician
Selected Biography
Moshé Pinchas Feldenkrais (May 6, 1904 – July 1, 1984) was the founder of the Feldenkrais method designed to improve human functioning by increasing self-awareness through movement.
Feldenkrais was born in the Ukrainian town of Slavuta. In 1918, he left his family, then living in Baranovichi, Belarus, to emigrate to Palestine. There he worked as a laborer before obtaining his high-school diploma in 1925. After graduation, he worked as a cartographer for the British survey office. During his time in Palestine he began his studies of self-defense, including jiu jitsu. A soccer injury in 1929 would later figure into the development of his method.
Did you know?
The 10 most commonly used CAM therapies in the United States during 2002 when use of prayer is excluded. Full Text pdf, table 1 on page 8]
- Herbalism (18.9%)
- Deep breathing (11.6%)
- Meditation (7.6%)
- Chiropractic (7.5%)
- Yoga (5.1%)
- Body work (5.0%)
- Diet-based therapy (3.5%)
- Progressive relaxation (3.0%)
- Mega-vitamin therapy (2.8%)
- Visualization (2.1%)
WikiProjects
WikiProjects that may be of interest to you.
Things to do
The WikiProject on Alternative Medicine and Portal
A few good places to start would be:
- Join the Wikiproject on Alternative Medicine.
- Glossary of alternative medicine -- A major list of the terms and concepts used in alternative medicine. Always something to be fine tuned or added to this gateway to CAM articles.
- Category:Alternative medicine stubs -- You can help Wikipedia by expanding these articles. Then be sure to remove them from the stub category.
- Start a new article
Categories
Categories are probably Wikipedia's most comprehensive classification system. The major sub-categories overlap each other.
Alternative Medicine
NCCAM classifications
Alternative medical systems
- Category:Ayurveda · Category:Chiropractic · Category:Herbalism · Category:Homeopathy · Category:Naturopathic medicine · Category:Osteopathy · Category:Traditional Chinese medicine
Biologically based therapies
- Category:Bush medicine · Category:Dietary supplements · Category:Medicinal herbs and fungi · Category:Medicinal use of cannabis · Category:Orthomolecular medicine
Energy therapies
Manipulative therapy
Mind-body interventions
Other Categories
Alternative detoxification
Concepts in alternative medicine
Life extension
Natural environment based therapies
Orthomolecular medicine
Osteopathic medicine
People in alternative medicine
- Category:Acupuncturists · Category:Chiropractors · Category:Herbalists · Category:Hydropathists · Category:Midwives
Supernatural healing
Traditional medicine
Vitalism
Whole medical systems
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Wikimedia
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