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FAQs for Complementary & Alternative Medicine 1.
What is alternative medicine? |
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| 1. What is alternative medicine? The answer depends largely on who you ask, and sometimes on their interests-a conventional doctor might tell you that alternative medicine is a useless, possibly dangerous waste of money, while an alternative medicine practitioner may say it’s the best and only cure for anything that ails you. The truth is somewhere in between, with the simplest answer being that alternative medicine is any healing method not taught in medical school. This encompasses a very broad range of diagnostic methods, dietary and exercise programs, massage techniques and even complete medical systems such as traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, some of which are widely recognized among the conventional medical community as valuable, while others are largely dismissed as anything from wishful thinking to fraud. back to top 2. What is complementary medicine? Complementary medicine is any alternative treatment, that is, any healing method not taught to medical doctors, that is used alongside conventional medicine to enhance its effect in some way. This includes anything from massage of an injured limb to music piped into hospital rooms to relax patients. It should always be discussed with the doctor, since some complementary therapies can conflict with some medical treatments; in particular, herbal remedies can be dangerous if used while taking pharmaceuticals, and some manual body therapies can exacerbate some injuries or conditions if employed without due care. Nevertheless, if used properly complementary medicine can be an excellent tool to assist and accelerate recovery from injuries and disease, whether through a direct therapeutic effect or by alleviating the stress of the hospital experience. back to top 3. What is the major difference between conventional (mainstream) medicine and alternative medicine? The primary difference is that alternative medicine includes any diagnostic or therapeutic method that has not found complete acceptance within the mainstream medical community, and is therefore not taught in standard medical schools. In some cases this includes treatments that are both publicly popular and highly regarded by most conventional doctors, but have not undergone rigorous scientific study, while in others the treatments in question are considered useless or even dangerous by most doctors. The reasons treatments have not been adopted by conventional medicine are as varied as the treatments themselves; some, such as various energy medicine systems, are simply difficult to study or quantify in scientific terms because of the theories involved, while others may be subject to criticism from the medical or pharmaceutical industries because they represent an economic threat. There is also a difference in overall approach, in that most alternative practitioners place more emphasis on the relationship between body, mind, and spirit. back to top 4. What is integrative medicine? Integrative medicine is similar in concept to complementary medicine, but entails a closer interweaving of conventional and alternative methods. Typically, an integrative practitioner is a conventional medical doctor, dentist or other health professional who incorporates alternative techniques or ideas with their medical training to offer a more comprehensive, holistic approach to treatment. This can manifest itself in a wide variety of ways, from a doctor who is familiar with herbal remedies and aromatherapy, to a dentist who employs cranial-sacral therapy, to a veterinarian who recommends acupuncture or vitamin therapy for pets. It also includes the use of alternative medicine within conventional medical environments; for example, healing touch has come into widespread use by nurses in hospitals. back to top 5. What is mind/body medicine? Essentially, mind/body medicine is any therapy that seeks to aid or accelerate the healing process by using the power of the mind over the body. Most focus on stress relief, whether as a way to improve overall health and lifestyle or as a way to let the body get on with the business of healing itself, unimpeded by negative thoughts, emotions, and harmful stress hormones. It has been well documented that stress increases heart rate and blood pressure, and interferes with proper immune system function, and thus can be a major contributing factor to a number of conditions as well as a major obstacle to recovery. Treatments such as music therapy, meditation or hypnosis can therefore be a tremendous help in fighting disease, healing injuries, or simply feeling good. Some mind/body therapies, such as biofeedback and guided imagery, take a more direct approach, employing the patient’s conscious effort to combat conditions. back to top Energy medicine is any system of diagnosis or treatment that works from the idea that a kind of life energy flows through the body. For example, traditional Chinese medicine holds that health depends on the flow of energy, called Qi (chee), through the body along channels called meridians. Each of these meridians is associated with a part of the body and/or an organ system, and is accessible through points near the surface of the skin called acupoints. If this energy flow is impeded or imbalanced in some way, often by negative thoughts or emotions but sometimes also by outside factors, any number of illnesses can result. An energy medicine practitioner attempts to cure not by addressing the symptoms of the illness, but by correcting the imbalance that caused them, whether through acupuncture, Qi Gong or other methods. There are a number of other alternative medical systems and treatments that employ similar theories, such as traditional Indian medicine or Ayurveda, healing touch, and reflexology. back to top 7. What is manual body therapy? Manual body therapy is any healing technique which is primarily and literally hands-on. The most familiar example and the most basic, straightforward technique is massage, but there are a large number and variety of manual body therapies, which in turn address a large number of medical conditions. For example, chiropractors specialize in movement problems or injuries related to the spine, while the Alexander Method seeks to address similar conditions through improvement of posture and habits of movement. Some manual body therapies incorporate elements from other alternative medicines, such as acupressure and Shiatsu, which operate on energy medicine principles. Others combine the hands-on element with exercises to enhance their effectiveness, such as Feldenkrais. Most are perfectly safe and effective if administered properly, but some, such as chiropractic, involve some risk. back to top 8. What are some of the problems with alternative and complementary medicine? Alternative healthcare has many of the same problems as conventional healthcare-- the quality and effectiveness of treatments varies widely, based on factors such as the competence of the practitioner, the quality of any products involved and the nature of your condition. But in alternative medicine, these factors can be greater due to the lack of government regulation, as well as the relative dearth of study on the nature and efficacy of most of the methods. And of course, most alternative medicine is not covered by health insurance and can be very costly, especially since it usually requires treatment over an extended period of time. Practitioners often also sell supplements, in part as an element of a holistic approach, but also in part because the opportunity for added profit is there. Since many of the methods are unregulated, untested and difficult to understand, an unscrupulous alternative practitioner could diagnose problems that don’t exist, or recommend treatments that aren’t needed, much more easily than a medical doctor. The best possible way to avoid these problems is, again, the same as in conventional medicine-get to know as much as you can about your condition, your treatment choice, and your practitioner. back to top 9. How popular are complementary and alternative medicine? Although still thought of as unusual or outside the mainstream, alternative and complementary medicine have exploded in popularity in the last decade or so, and there are now at least as many Canadians who have used them as haven’t. Of course, these statistics apply only to the western world; roughly 80 percent of the world’s population still depends on various types of traditional healing that would be dubbed “alternative” by conventional medicine. But the west is catching on fast. Use of herbal remedies grew by 380 percent between 1991 and 1997, and is still growing at a rate of 15-20 percent a year, while other alternative therapies are coming into regular use in hospitals, as evidence grows almost daily of their benefits, cost effectiveness, and not least popularity. This growth in popularity, as well as the growing shift in conventional medical opinion, stems from a number of factors: a steadily increasing weight of anecdotal and other evidence as to their effectiveness; the growing cost of, and receding trust in, conventional medicine; a demographic trend toward greater multiculturalism, which has exposed a greater part of the population to non-western healing practices; and a large, affluent, and aging baby-boomer generation creating ever greater pressure on the medical infrastructure, and ever greater demand for health options. back to top 10. Why do people opt for complementary &/or alternative medicine (CAM)? Conventional medicine tends to view medicine as a science rather than an art and a science. Physicians view the body as a complex machine and tend to ignore the obvious connection between our thoughts, our emotions and our spirits. Alternative practitioners are generally more patient-oriented and more holistic in approach, providing a more personal, comforting experience than overworked doctors and understaffed hospitals can afford. People turn to alternative medicine when conventional medicine has run out of ideas. Medicine does not always have all the answers. Conventional medicine has been a lot less successful in treating chronic degenerative conditions such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, AIDS, osteoporosis etc. For such conditions conventional medical treatment options are limited, offer temporary relief and can cause unpleasant side effects. A number of alternative therapies offer hope for a better means of coping with, controlling or even curing some of these problems. Having more treatment options gives a person a greater sense of control over their health outcomes. CAM as a complement to conventional medicine has been demonstrated to improve the effectiveness of many treatments. Many people have adopted complementary & alternative medicine as a first line of defense, to improve their everyday health habits and overall wellness, and simply preempt the need for surgery and drugs. back to top 11. I have cancer. Which complementary &/or alternative therapy should I try? There is not one CAM therapy that has the same effect on everybody. Your search for a treatment to complement your cancer therapy is an individual decision only you can make. It is important to do all your research and consider all the costs involved. Going with your gut feeling might be a good place to start. back to top 12. How safe is alternative medicine? The answer to this question varies considerably with the therapy in question, as well as who you ask. Most alternative therapies are specifically conceived and promoted as safer, more natural alternatives to conventional medicine, but sometimes practitioners downplay significant risks involved. In general, the safest types of alternative medicines are mind/body and energy medicines, which use either the patient’s mind or the patient’s energy to combat illness, which means that there is little or no physical contact and nothing to ingest, and therefore no risk. Herbal remedies are also generally safe, provided they are used correctly, in the right dosage, and combinations are used carefully or avoided altogether. Manual body therapies, again, are safe if used properly, but can involve some risk of injury or aggravation of existing conditions. Of course, your best defense in any case is ensuring that you are well informed about your condition, the treatment, and perhaps most importantly, the practitioner. Perhaps the most significant danger involved in the use of alternative treatments is the abandonment of conventional medical treatments that may be necessary for a complete dependence on an alternative that may not be reliable. back to top 13. Should I tell my doctor what complementary or alternative therapies I am using? Yes. People are often concerned that their doctor will frown upon or criticize any alternative methods that they may be using alongside their conventional treatment, but most doctors, if they aren’t exactly open-minded about alternatives, will certainly be understanding. There are serious risks involved in combining some alternative therapies with conventional treatments, for example if herbal medicines are incautiously combined with pharmaceuticals, and alternative treatments can also cause problems associated with other conventional treatments such as surgery. So your doctor should always be aware of anything you are doing or taking beyond what he or she has prescribed or recommended, and for the same reasons alternative practitioners should always be informed of any conventional treatment you are receiving. back to top 14. What role does the Canadian government play in the regulation of herbal products and complementary and alternative medicine? At present, most alternative medicine is unregulated. The federal government is, however, taking large steps toward the regulation of herbal products, to ensure quality and dosage, and to protect consumers from false or exaggerated health claims. They also have a website containing extensive information on the topic. In addition, most alternative health practitioners regulate themselves through professional associations, which can be contacted through this site. By and large, the degree of regulation also varies widely from province to province and from therapy to therapy, so it is probably wise to look into the situation for any particular treatment in your own area, and always a good idea to check the credentials of the practitioner. back to top 15. Are any complementary or alternative medicine treatments covered by healthcare insurance? Coverage varies from plan to plan, but in general alternative health practices aren’t covered. Some techniques such as massage which have a considerable track record for improving employee health and morale, and therefore reducing days taken off work, are the most likely to be covered by your employer’s benefits package, while methods still widely regarded as “fringe” are not covered at all. Insurance companies make decisions on what to cover based on the bottom line, and since many alternative health practices are very expensive, it is simply impractical to include them in most plans. But as demand from consumers rises, more and more insurance companies as well as employers are taking a close look at the potential benefits, as well as the potential profits. back to top 16. Can I claim my complementary and alternative medicine expenses on my income tax? As a general rule, any medical expenses that you incur as a result of a visit to a conventional doctor can be claimed on your income tax return. Therefore, if for example a doctor refers you to an alternative practitioner such as a massage therapist or chiropractor, then those expenses can be claimed. Otherwise, probably not, but ask your doctor or your accountant if they are aware of other possibilities. back to top Copyright ©2001 EnerChi Health Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. |
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