Lecture Notes for Complementary and Alternative medicine course

Lecture Notes for Complementary and Alternative medicine course Monica Fenty Kaplan University HW499-01 October 21, 2013 Professor Edward Eaves

Session 1 - What is CAM? • Complementary and Alternative Medicine is a group of therapies that are used alongside conventional medicine, which is the most common in the U.S. such as seeing an M.D. in a clinic and getting a prescription, or in place of conventional medicine. Some of the methods of therapy are known and proven to be effective and others are better for some than others. Many of these therapies have been around for centuries or longer and were used long before conventional medicine.

Statistics: • Almost 40% of Americans today use some sort of CAM in their own health to achieve wellness. • 17.7% of Americans use Natural Products as part of CAM • 12.7% use deep breathing as an attempt to encourage personal wellness • 9.4% meditate • 8.6% rely on chiropractic and osteopathic therapies • 8.3% get massages • 6.1% practice Yoga • 3.6% use nutrition or diet based therapies • 2.9% use progressive relaxation • 2.2% use guided imagery • 1.8% use homeopathic treatments

So many people have used Complementary and Alternative Medicine methods without even realizing that they have used them, like visiting the massage therapist or chiropractor. • While there is plenty of evidence and research supporting some of the therapies, others are not quite as scientifically supported, which will be covered more later; however, there is some benefit to be gained from each method for most people. • It is important to research each type of CAM therapy before choosing one or more, just like it is vital to research the methods of conventional method before agreeing to one; that way the client knows what is involved with that treatment method in case they are uncomfortable with the technique or there is any reason that it should not be used.

The basic cam therapy choices • Integral Health • Manual Therapies • Alternative Western Methods • Traditional Ethnomedical Systems Within these Therapy Methods are many of the familiar practices, like yoga and meditation, and some maybe less common ones, like Ayurveda and reflexology. The next session will be about diving deeper into these Therapy Types to discover where they originated from and what they are.

References CAM Basics. (2008). National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam Martin, L. (2011). Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Overview. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/balance/what- is-alternative-medicine?page=2

Session 2 – Describing the Many methods Integral Health The integral health method of healing is about balancing the whole person. The mind, body, and spirit need balance and how they relate to the environment is crucial. If more emphasis is placed on the body, biological, then the balance is disrupted and human flourishing, which is health, happiness, and wholeness, cannot be gained. Training of the mind is a way of focusing on the mind part of integral health and learning how to develop the mind in a way that gives the person more control over what the mind focuses on. Being at peace spiritually is also vital to developing and studying integral health.

Manual Therapies • Massage therapy is a topic that will have slightly more time spent on it. Massage and touch therapy have been around for thousands of years. When this type of therapy is used on an area of the body, it affects the whole body in some way. When one area of the person becomes unbalanced, it can often show up as a problem or pain elsewhere, such as stress being perceived as tension in the neck and shoulders. Also, while relieving this tension, the person can be put into a state of total relaxation that promotes deep breathing and healing. This therapy involves manipulating the tissues of the body to relieve tension to treat stress and pain, and some touch therapies are designed to direct the flow of energy in the person’s body. Massage therapy involves very high standards of practice in this country.

Massage therapists must remain professional all times, uphold all legal and ethical requirements, keep all client information confidential, use professional and fair business practices, understand boundaries, practice good and safe hygiene, and avoid all misconduct. • Osteopathic medicine is described as a type of medicine that believes that health comes form within the person. This method focuses on the body as a dynamic system of function and has its own healing capabilities if it is functioning properly. Treatment can include surgeries and medication if the physician believes that it will bring along balance to restore the body to its proper functioning performance. Prevention is focused on as a means of preserving the body’s structure and function capabilities. Osteopathic medicine has been around since the mid 1800s.

Chiropractic therapy is the manual manipulation of the spine, specifically, by making adjustments that allow the body to be aligned properly. This is proven to reduce migraines and headaches, neck pain, joint problems and conditions, back pain, and whiplash. The chiropractic therapy method is the third largest independent health and wellness profession in the Western world. The United States has about 65,000 chiropractors, of the 90,000 in the world, located here. Some types of spinal manipulation has been practiced for over a thousand years, but began in America as is known today around the middle of the 19th century.

Reflexology is a technique that focuses pressure on parts of the body, usually the hands or feet. These parts of the body are thought to correspond to different parts of the body and by applying pressure the part of the body returns to balance; therefore, restoring homeostasis to the body. This type of healing has been recorded being used in Egypt as early as 2,500 B.C.

Alternative Western Methods • Naturopathic is a term used to describe a type of medicine that treats the whole person and has areas that focus on natural treatments like manual manipulation as discussed earlier, nutritional treatment, looking for and treating the cause, environmental changes, and spirituality. • Herbalism is the study of using plant material, herbs, for food, medicine, and the promotion of health and wellness. This is when a person recognizes the health benefits of an herb and uses it to treat illness and conditions, and uses them to promote health and prevent disease.

Aromatherapy is when natural essential oils are used and appreciated in the promotion of health and wellness within therapy sessions planned specifically for the individual. • Homeopathy is a practice that also focuses on the whole person and supports that a cure for the person cannot be brought about by treating or focusing on just one single part of the person. The treatment involves homeopathic medication and remedies taken in as low dosages as possible. • Nutrition therapy is the study of nutrition to treat illnesses in the person. This is like analyzing a person’s diet to see where changes can be made to help the person treat diabetes or even cancer, for example. It is studying the nutrient intake and see where the patient is deficient and understanding which nutrients to add that have beneficial aspects that apply to that particular client.

Traditional Ethnomedical Systems • Traditional Medicine of China, TMC, and is a form of medicine that has been in use for thousands of years. Acupuncture and Qi Gong are both forms of TMC. Acupuncture is the systematic placement of very small and sharp needles all over the body to provide relief to many issues and illnesses. Qi Gong is a practice of medicine that is based on the flow of energy, or Qi, and is a way of directing that energy. • The Traditional Medicine of India is a term used to describe methods like Yoga and Ayurveda that originate from India centuries ago. Yoga is a combination of physical posture techniques and movements, breathing techniques, and meditation to promote wellness. Ayurveda is over 2,000 years old and uses herbs to promote balance between mind, body, and spirit. Caution should be used with Ayurveda because some studies have found toxins in use with Ayurveda, such as arsenic. • Native American Healing is based on balance, harmony, and spirituality using traditional ceremonies and some herbal treatments.

References CAM Basics. (2008). National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health. Basic Health Publications: Laguna Beach, CA Martin, L. (2011). Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Overview. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-alternative- medicine?page=2 Micozzi, M. (2011). Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Saunders Elsevier: St. Louis, MO Standards of Practice. (2009). National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. Retrieved from http://www.ncbtmb.org/standards-practice

Session 3 – Conclusion and finding more information • Complementary and Alternative Medicine is not a one size fits all concept and each treatment needs to be researched by the individual and the practitioner. Some techniques may work for one person, but for the next person another method may be more beneficial. Most CAM methods are based on looking at the person as a whole being and promoting a healthy balance. For example, if the person is having heart palpations, the body should be studies and causes could be looked for on that path; however, it could be stress which is more the mind that evolves into a physical issue.

It is important to find a certified professional practitioner in the area of CAM chosen and meet with the professional first to make sure that both the patient and wellness professional are on the same page and understand the situation and the treatment. • Insurance companies are finally beginning to recognize the importance and significance of CAM methods on a person’s health and wellness and many policies will now cover many different CAM practices, such as chiropractic.

How to find out more information • Online articles are in abundance when it comes to CAM practices and techniques. Another great resource online is peer reviews and studies; these can give the patient knowledge from different documented studies done on that practice and reviews from peers about what they thought about that particular procedure or treatment. • In the community, word of mouth is a great way to find out more about the available CAM sources in that community. If someone is having an issue with achy shoulder muscles, several people in the community may be able to offer reliable information about a massage therapist in the area. • Beware of information from an advertising source as their job is to sell their product; look for a more biased source.

The public libraries are great sources of information about most any topic, including Complementary and Alternative Medicine. They offer books and articles written by experts in the fields they write about when it comes to the many different types of CAM practices. • Perhaps one of the best places to get the information being looked for is straight from the source. There is no reason that a person should not be able to consult with the wellness professional in the field in question for either just information or for the treatment of a problem. • The important thing for anyone to remember is to stay educated and well advised on any topic relating to their health and their family’s health.

Lecture Notes for Complementary and Alternative medicine course