Complimentary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine, Research Paper Example

The National Cancer Institute defines “conventional medicine as “a system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery (NCI, 2010). It is also known by such terms as “allopathic medicine, biomedicine, mainstream medicine, orthodox medicine, and Western medicine” (NCI, 2010).

Conventional medicine is often seen as the first line of defense against major illnesses and injuries. For example, a victim of a major car crash, who is suffering from bleeding, broken bones, and internal injures, will likely visit the local emergency room for treatment with conventional medicine. Someone who comes down with a bad case of the flu may also make a quick trip to the doctor for treatment with conventional means. In addition to these conventional treatments, however, there are other approaches to haling and wellness; some of these primary options are known as “alternative medicine,” “complementary medicine.” At first glance, these terms may sound similar, but there are several key differences among them.

“Alternative medicine” is defined as “any of various systems of healing or treating disease (as chiropractic, homeopathy, or faith healing) not included in the traditional medical curricula taught in the United States and Britain” (MW Online, 2010). “Complementary Medicine” is defined as “a group of diagnostic and therapeutic disciplines that are used together with conventional medicine (an example of a complementary therapy is using aromatherapy to help lessen a patient’s discomfort following surgery) (Medterms, 2010). And finally, “Integrative Medicine” is defined as “(combining) medical therapies and CAM therapies for which there is some high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness… In other words, integrative medicine “cherry picks” the very best, scientifically validated therapies from both conventional and CAM (Complimentary and Alternative Medicines)” (Weil, 2010). By these definitions, “complementary” and “integrative” approaches appear to be very similar; the distinction seems primarily to lay in the perceived efficacy of the alternative methodologies that re chosen to be used in combination with conventional medicines. Whereas “alternative” methods alone are those that are often chosen to be used in place of conventional medicine, “complementary” and “integrative” methods are designed to incorporate non-conventional methods with conventional ones.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has this to say about CAM:

Defining CAM is difficult, because the field is very broad and constantly changing. NCCAM defines CAM as a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine. Conventional medicine (also called Western or allopathic medicine) is medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) and D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by allied health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses. The boundaries between CAM and conventional medicine are not absolute, and specific CAM practices may, over time, become widely accepted. (NCCAM, 2010).

One primary area of CAM therapy is the use of natural products, such as vitamins, herbal medicines, minerals, and other natural products, often know as “dietary supplements.” Next is “mind-body medicine,” which focuses on the interaction between mind and body, with a focus on the healing properties of examining and changing behavior. A third area of therapeutic focus is know as “manipulative” or “body-based,” and applies treatments such as massage and spinal manipulation. “Movement therapies” such as Pilates and other forms of physical movement are seen as potentially healing within a CAM framework. And finally, “energy” treatment, through practices such as Reiki, “healing touch,” and other practices that purport to have an effect o the body’s “energy fields” are considered a part of CAM treatment (NCCAM, 2010).

One common area of treatment for which patients may seek CAM applications is for the treatment of cancer. The National Cancer Institute notes that many cancer patients seek CAM treatments for cancer and that they do so for a number of reasons. Among these may be to fight some of the symptoms associated with cancer, such as nausea, pain, stress, and loss of appetite (NCI, 2010).

So-called “medical marijuana,” for example, is becoming increasingly common for use by cancer patients; it is believed to help alleviate the nausea and loss of appetite associated with conventional treatments such as chemotherapy. While not typically a prescribed medicine (until recently) anecdotal reports of its efficacy have been strong enough that many states are passing legislation making it legal to use marijuana by patients, a use that now requires, in most cases, a doctor’s prescription (NCI, 2010).

Some cancer patients, especially those who have been given a terminal prognosis, may eschew conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. While marijuana may have once been considered simply and “alternative” treatment, it has now gained enough supportive evidence that it can now be considered a “complimentary” treatment when used alongside typical allopathic approaches. Additionally, changes to diet and lifestyle have increasingly been shown to be effective in the fight against cancer. Over time, it appears that many approaches that once were considered out of the mainstream, or actually entirely ineffective, are increasingly being seen as possessing an ever-growing amount of efficacy, thus blurring the lines between complimentary, alternative, and integrative approaches to medical care.

References

Thinking about complementary and alternative medicine: a guide for people with cancer. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/thinking-about-CAM/page3

The use of Complementary and alternative medicine in the united states. (2008). Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camstats/2007/camsurvey_fs1.htm

Weil, Andrew. (2010). What is Integrative medicine?. Retrieved from http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02054/Andrew-Weil-Integrative-Medicine.html

Definition of complementary medicine. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=31077

What is Complementary and alternative medicine?. (2010). Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/#types