Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
Glossary
Acupressure: a traditional Chinese touch therapy involving finger pressure
applied to specific areas of the body to restore the flow of qi (the
fundamental life energy responsible for health and vitality).
Acupuncture: a traditional Chinese medical practice using thin acupuncture
needles inserted into specific points of the body to restore the flow of qi (the
fundamental life energy responsible for health and vitality).
Alexander Technique: a method of developing conscious control of one's
posture and movement in order to improve them.
Allopathic medicine: conventional, or Western, medical practices and
systems of health care.
Alternative medicine: practices and systems of health care other than
conventional, or Western, approaches, used in place of these allopathic
treatments.
Aromatherapy: the use of fragrances and essential oils from plants for
psychological and physical wellbeing.
Ayurvedic medicine: the traditional Hindu system of medicine emphasizing
preventative treatment through hygiene, exercise, herbal preparations, and
yoga, and the treatment of illnesses with herbal medicines, physiotherapy,
and diet.
Biofeedback: a patient-guided treatment that teaches individuals to control
muscle tension, pain, body temperature, brain waves, and other bodily
functions through relaxation, visualization, and other cognitive control
techniques.
Childbirth doula: a non-medical assistant trained to provide physical and
emotional support to a pregnant woman, her infant, and the family before,
during and after childbirth.
Chiropractic manipulative therapy (CMT): mechanical spinal
adjustments made by a chiropractor to correct biomechanical problems in
the skeletal framework of the body
Complimentary medicine: practices and systems of health care other than
conventional, or Western, approaches, used to supplement allopathic
treatments.
Craniosacral therapy (CST), craniosacral release: the use of gentle touch
to help the body release tension, stress and trauma in order to correct
restrictions resulting from stress on the central nervous system.
Energy work: therapies such as Reiki that manipulate the body through
light touch to promote healing and relief.
Felenkrais method: an educational system that helps patients develop an
awareness of the self, expanding movements for function and expression.
Holistic: a treatment approach that takes into consideration the whole body
and its environment, including the mind, body and spirit.
Homeopathy: the use of prescribed substances created from plant, animal,
or mineral products diluted thousands-fold in water or alcohol to stimulate
the body’s own healing responses.
Hydrotherapy: the external use of water in its liquid, solid or vapor form in
therapeutic treatment.
Hyperbarics, hyperbaric oxygen therapy: a treatment method that uses an
enclosed space, called a hyperbaric or pressure chamber, to increase the
amount of oxygen in the blood.
Integrative Medicine: a model of health care rooted both in conventional
(allopathic) and alternative medicine.
Myofascial Release: a specialized soft tissue manipulation technique used
to ease the pain of conditions such as fibromyalgia, myofascial pain
syndrome, movement restrictions, temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ),
and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Naturopathy, Naturopathic medicine: a combination of nutrition,
medicinal supplements and herbs, hydrotherapy, homeopathy and lifestyle
modifications used to identify and treat the root causes of symptoms and
disease.
Neuromuscular therapy: uses soft tissue manipulation to balance the
nervous system with the structure and form of the musculoskeletal system to
alleviate pain and promote homeostasis.
Osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) mechanical spinal adjustment
used in conjunction with conventional medical therapies in osteopathic
medicine.
Qigong: a Chinese system of postures, exercises, breathing techniques, and
meditation designed to improve and enhance the flow of the body's qi (the
fundamental life energy responsible for health and vitality).
Reflexology: a method of relieving pain and nervous tension by using finger
pressure to stimulate predefined pressure points on the feet and hands.
Reiki: a Japanese healing and spiritual treatment in which experienced
practitioners use a technique similar to the laying on of hands to channel
healing energy through their palms to certain vital energy fields in the body.
Somato emotional release (SER): a therapeutic procedure that uses the
concepts of craniosacral therapy to free the body and mind of the
discomforting effects of past trauma and associated negative responses.
Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT): adjustment and manipulation of the
vertebral column, commonly used to treat lower back pain.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): ancient Chinese medicinal
treatments include acupuncture, diet, herbal therapy, meditation, physical
exercise, and massage to prevent, diagnose and treat disease.
Visceral manipulation: a gentle hands-on therapy working with the internal
organs and nervous system, locating and alleviating abnormal points of
tension and encouraging their normal mobility and motion.