CAM
Complementary and Alternative
Medicine
Kaselyn Longhorn
Kaplan University
11/11/2014
Table of Content
▪ History of CAM
▪ Defining CAM
▪ Types of CAM
▪ Pros and Cons of practicing CAM
▪ Educational resources
▪ References
The History of CAM in the United
States and Beyond
 “During the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), the practice of
medicine was seen as more of a part-time avocation due to the
fact that the majority of citizens labeled as “doctors” also took
on full-time occupation such as judge, magistrate, farmer, or
merchant” (“The History of,” 1999).
 “Beginning of the 19th century, conventional medicine was
beginning to grow” (“The History of,” 1999).
 “During the 1830s and 1840s PHM (Popular Health Movement)
altered conventional medical practices by incorporating
herbal remedies, proper nutrition, clean water, exercise,
disease prevention, the body’s innate ability to heal itself, and
health education” (“The History of,” 1999).
In this slide I would talk about how medicine came about and
how CAM entered the picture. Today 69% of the U.S. populace
reports using at least one form of CAM in any given year. Native
American Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and
Ayurvedic Medicine are other areas that practice CAM.
Defining CAM
“Is the term for medical products and practices that are not
part of standard care” (“Complementary and,” 2014).
* “Complementary medicine is used together with
standard medical care” (“Complementary and,” 2014).
i.e. acupuncture
* “alternative medicine is used in place of standard
medical care” (“Complementary and,” 2014).
i.e. “treating heart disease with chelation
therapy (which seeks to remove excess metals from the blood)”
(“Complementary and,” 2014).
This slide talks about the definition of Complementary and Alternative
medicine
Types of CAM
When individuals become interested in CAM they need to
know what types of practices falls under CAM.
1. “Mind-body medicine: belief that your mind is able
to affect your body..
*biofeedback- patient learns how to affect
certain body functions.
*hypnosis- state of relaxed and focused attention
in which the patient concentrates on a certain feeling, idea,
or suggestion” (“Complementary and,” 2014).
Slides 5 through 8 Talks about the different types of CAM such
as meditation and yoga along with the ones mention above.
Types Continued
*”imagery- imagining scenes, pictures, or
experiences to help the body heal.
2. Biologically based practices: things found in nature
that includes dietary supplements and herbal products.
*Vitamins, herbs, foods, and special diets
3. Manipulative and body: based practices-based on
working with one or more parts of the body.
*massage- manipulation of tissues
*chiropractic care- manipulation of the joints
and skeleton system
*reflexology- pressure points in the hands and
feet “(“Complementary and,” 2014).
Types Continued
*”energy medicine- belief that the body has
energy fields that can be used for healing and wellness
*tai chi- slow gentle movements with a focus
on the breath and concentration
*reiki- balancing energy either from a
distance or by placing hands on or near the patient
*therapeutic touch- moving hands over
energy fields of the body
4. Whole medical systems: healing systems and
beliefs that have evolved over time in different cultures
and parts of the world” (“Complementary and,” 2014).
Types Continued
*”ayruvedic medicine- a system from
India emphasizing balance among body, mind,
and spirit
*Chinese medicine- view that health is a
balance in the body of two forces called yin and
yang
*homeopathy- uses very small doses of
substances to trigger the body to heal itself
*naturopathic medicine- different
methods that help the body naturally heal itself”
(“Complementary and,” 2014).
Pros and Cons
“Pros-
38% of U.S. adults and about 12% of children are using some
form of alternative medicine” (“Alternative Medicine,” 2014).
1. “whole- person treatment: emphasize on the whole-body
care. Practitioners of alternative medicine address not just the
physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health”
(“Alternative Medicine,” 2014).
2. “personal attention: alternative medicine practitioners,
different philosophies and fee structures, and typically place greater
emphasis on one – on –one” (“Alternative Medicine,” 2014).
3. “focus on prevention: alternative medicine encourage
patients to have “well visit,” treatments that are focused on
preventing disease before it occurs, in addition to being cared for
when sick” (“Alternative Medicine,” 2014).
This slide talks about how CAM will help you and what you should focus on to
make sure that CAM works correctly
Pros Continued
4. “holistic approach: focus on healing the
cause of the disease and address not just the
physical body but also the patient’s spiritual and
emotional health” (“Alternative Medicine,” 2014).
5. “inexpensive: use various herbs to treat the
ailments” (“Alternative Medicine,” 2014).
6. “less damaging: alternative therapies are
structured to destroy the damage causing bacteria
and viruses” (“Alternative Medicine,” 2014).
This slide talks about more positive results for using CAM.
Cons
1. “limited scientific research: in response to increased
consumer demand, funding for research studies on alternative
medicine is growing with unanswered questions” (“Alternative
Medicine,” 2014).
2. “confusing marketing: “natural” and “safe” maybe
easy to be confused but dietary supplements and herbal remedies,
both of which fall under the alternative medicine umbrella, are
mislabeled as “natural”” (“Alternative Medicine,” 2014).
3. “potential dangerous interactions: product contains no
artificial substances, supplements and herbs can still potentially
interact with prescription and over – the – counter medication”
(“Alternative Medicine,” 2014).
This slide and the next one talk about the negative effects that
can occur if you was to not take CAM serious. A lot of individuals
don’t know exactly how it works .
Cons Continued
4. “not completely reliable: attempts to treat
serious illness with alternative therapies can aggravate
the ailments. It is important to educate yourself with
all the option available and accordingly make
decisions that are right for you” (“Alternative
Medicine,” 2014).
5. “lengthy process: most alternative therapies
work on the principles of eradicating the problem from
its root, hence takes a longer time to heal the problem”
(“Alternative Medicine,” 2014).
6. “requires dedication: alternative therapies not
only take longer time to heal but also requires serious
dedication and disciple to change earing or lifestyle
habits to show positive results” (“Alternative Medicine,”
2014).
Additional Educational
Information
Peer review journal
An Introduction to Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (CAM).
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.lib.kaplan.edu/eds/detail/detail?vi
d=1&sid=b68b29f6-988c-451c-86abbabb064f95c0%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4203&bdata=JnNpdGU
9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=rzh&AN=2011704107
NCCAM
National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/
What is Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(CAM).
https://cim.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/clubs/camsig/whatiscam.pdf
References
National Institutes of Health. Complementary and
Alternative Medicine . (2 October 2014). Retrieved from
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/complementaryandalter
nativemedicine.html
Miller, M; Davis, J; Kessler, W and Goodkind, M. (1999, August
22, 2000 and Sept. 23, 1998). The History of Complementary
and Alternative Medicine in the United States and Beyond.
Retrieved from
http://www.medaus.com/index25fb.html?id=23:the-history-ofcomplementary-and-alternative-medicine-in-the-unitedstates-and-beyond-&option=com_content&Itemid=24
Calabro, Sara. (2014). Alternative Medicine Pros and Cons.
Everyday Health Media LLC. Retrieved from
http://www.everydayhealth.com/alternative-health/thebasics/are-you-conisdering-complementary-and-alternativemedicine.aspx
References Continued
Seema, Verma. Alternative Medicine: Pros and
Cons. Reviewed on October 11, 2014 retrieved from
http://www.medimanage.com/my-worries/morearticles/alternative-medicines-pros-and-cons.aspx
National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
Vanderbilt University. Complementary and
Alternative Medicine- Vanderbilt- Ingram Cancer
Center. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.vicc.org/cancercare/treatments/cam.php