Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus Polarity Center for Integrative Health & Wellness, Columbus Ohio
What is complementary and alternative medicine?back to questions
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is the term for products and practices that are not part of standard care. Standard care is what medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy and allied health professionals, such as registered nurses and physical therapists, practice. Alternative medicine means treatments that you use instead of standard ones. Complementary medicine means nonstandard practices that you use along with standard ones. Examples of CAM therapies are acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medicines and energy medicine.
Basic philosophies of complementary and alternative medicine include:
- Your body heals itself. Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners see themselves as facilitators. To them your body does all the healing work, and you only need sessions that will encourage your natural healing processes.
- Prevention is important. Your complementary and alternative medicine practitioner may wish to see you before you get sick to make sure you're doing all you can to keep yourself healthy.
- Learning and healing go hand-in-hand. Your complementary and alternative medicine practitioner views himself or herself as a teacher and mentor who offers guidance. To the practitioner, you're the one who does the healing.
Learn more about our complementary and alternative medicine services.
How many people use complementary and alternative medicine?back to questions
An OSU study found that 71 percent of older adults used some form of alternative medicine in 2000. A study done in 2002, found a lower rate -- about 62 percent - among all adults.
Dr. James Gordon, director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine and the chairperson of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Policy, said "Almost half of all Americans implement some form of complementary and alternative medicine as part of their healthcare.' He noted that 69 percent of cancer patients are using these therapies, and 74 percent of cancer patients are interested in learning more about them, He added that within five to 10 years, complementary therapies will be part of the care in every major hospital and clinic across the country, and our definition of medicine will be larger than it is today.
Learn more about our complementary and alternative medicine services.
Are complementary medicine and alternative medicine different from each other?back to questions
Yes, they are different.
Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. An example of a complementary therapy is using aromatherapy therapy, n which the scent of essential oils from flowers, herbs, and trees is inhaled to promote health and well-being to help lessen a patient's discomfort following surgery.
Learn more about our complementary and alternative medicine services.
What are the major types of complementary and alternative medicine?back to questions
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (http://nccam.nih.gov/ )(NCCAM) groups CAM practices into four domains:
- Mind-body medicine, which uses a variety of techniques to enhance the mind?s ability to affect bodily function and symptoms, examples include meditation and art therapy
- Biologically-based practices, which rely on substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods and vitamins
- Manipulative and body-based practices, which are based on movement of one or more parts of the body, examples include massage and chiropractic manipulation
- Energy medicine, which involves the use of energy fields, examples include Reiki and the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields
Learn more about our complementary and alternative medicine services.
