Basics Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine
When you are suffering health problem that is not getting resolved by conventional treatment, you may be suggested to try complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to get relief. Before you try such treatment or medicines it is imperative to have some basic knowledge about it.
Consulting your physician is necessary before starting such treatment, especially if you are pregnant, under special medication or have critical health issues.
CAM is increasingly getting popular with more than 40 per cent of U.S. adults availing its benefits. Doctors are learning more about such non conventional approaches to treatment. Usually treatments that are not within defined periphery of western medical sciences are referred to as “alternative medicine”. When any alternative medicine is used in addition to conventional treatment, it is called complementary treatment.
In the United States, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is the lead agency for funding research on CAM. They have classified the available therapies in different categories to help identifying the relevant one. These broad categories are:
Full medical system
Medicine for mind and body
Biologically based practices
Body-based manipulative practices
Energy medicine
Whole medical systems consider the state of whole body to diagnose and treat any disease. It relies on a fundamental philosophy. Examples of this category are Homeopathy, Naturopathy and Ayurveda.
Mind body treatments strive to strengthen communication between your body and mind. Practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine say that these two systems should be in harmony for staying healthy. Meditation, prayer and relaxation are examples of such treatments.
Biologically based practices use natural ingredients for treatment. These may include various herbs like ginkgo and ginseng or dietary supplements. These supplements or herbs may be taken as powders, capsules, tablets, syrups or with tea.
Body based manipulative practices use various methods of healing by human touch. Such moves and touches manipulate specific part of your body to provide relief. Chiropractic is an example of bb.
Many CAM practitioners believe that people become sick when flow of energy within the body is disturbed or blocked. Depending on type of practitioner, this energy is termed as prana, life force or chi. Goal of these therapies like reiki, magnet therapy or therapeutic touch is to unblock and re balance this energy.
