What Is Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)?
Brought to you by The National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
There are many terms used to
describe approaches to health care that are outside
the realm of conventional medicine as practiced in
the United States. This fact sheet explains how the
National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (NCCAM), a component of the National
Institutes of Health, defines some of the key terms
used in the field of complementary and alternative
medicine (CAM). Terms that are underlined in the
text are defined at the end of this fact sheet.
What is complementary and alternative medicine?
Complementary and alternative medicine, as
defined by NCCAM, is a group of diverse medical and
health care systems, practices, and products that
are not presently considered to be part of
conventional medicine.1,2
While some scientific evidence exists regarding some
CAM therapies, for most there are key questions that
are yet to be answered through well-designed
scientific studies--questions such as whether these
therapies are safe and whether they work for the
diseases or medical conditions for which they are
used.
The list of what is considered to be CAM changes
continually, as those therapies that are proven to
be safe and effective become adopted into
conventional health care and as new approaches to
health care emerge.
Are complementary medicine and alternative
medicine different from each other?
Yes, they are different.
-
Complementary medicine is used
together with conventional medicine. An
example of a complementary therapy is using
aromatherapy to help lessen a
patient's discomfort following surgery.
-
Alternative medicine is used in
place of conventional medicine. An example
of an alternative therapy is using a special
diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing
surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has
been recommended by a conventional doctor.
What is integrative medicine?
Integrative medicine, as defined by NCCAM, combines
mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies for
which there is some high-quality scientific evidence
of safety and effectiveness.
What are the major types of complementary and
alternative medicine?
NCCAM classifies CAM therapies into five
categories, or domains:
1. Alternative Medical Systems
Alternative medical systems are built upon
complete systems of theory and practice. Often,
these systems have evolved apart from and earlier
than the conventional medical approach used in the
United States. Examples of alternative medical
systems that have developed in Western cultures
include homeopathic medicine and
naturopathic medicine. Examples of
systems that have developed in non-Western cultures
include traditional Chinese medicine
and Ayurveda.
2. Mind-Body Interventions
Mind-body medicine uses a variety of techniques
designed to enhance the mind's capacity to affect
bodily function and symptoms. Some techniques that
were considered CAM in the past have become
mainstream (for example, patient support groups and
cognitive-behavioral therapy). Other mind-body
techniques are still considered CAM, including
meditation, prayer, mental healing, and therapies
that use creative outlets such as art, music, or
dance.
3. Biologically Based Therapies
Biologically based therapies in CAM use
substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods,
and vitamins. Some examples include
dietary supplements,3
herbal products, and the use of other so-called
natural but as yet scientifically unproven therapies
(for example, using shark cartilage to treat
cancer).
4. Manipulative and Body-Based Methods
Manipulative and body-based methods in CAM are
based on manipulation and/or movement of one or more
parts of the body. Some examples include
chiropractic or
osteopathic manipulation, and
massage.
5. Energy Therapies
Energy therapies involve the use of energy
fields. They are of two types:
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Biofield therapies are intended to
affect energy fields that purportedly surround
and penetrate the human body. The existence of
such fields has not yet been scientifically
proven. Some forms of energy therapy manipulate
biofields by applying pressure and/or
manipulating the body by placing the hands in,
or through, these fields. Examples include qi gong, Reiki,
and Therapeutic Touch.
Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies
involve the unconventional use of
electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed
fields, magnetic fields, or alternating-current
or direct-current fields.
What is NCCAM's role in the field of CAM?
NCCAM is the Federal Government's lead agency for
scientific research on CAM. NCCAM is dedicated to
exploring complementary and alternative healing
practices in the context of rigorous science,
training CAM researchers, and disseminating
authoritative information to the public and
professionals.
Notes
1
Conventional medicine is medicine as practiced by
holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of
osteopathy) degrees and by their allied health
professionals, such as physical therapists,
psychologists, and registered nurses. Other terms
for conventional medicine include allopathy;
Western, mainstream, orthodox, and regular medicine;
and biomedicine. Some conventional medical
practitioners are also practitioners of CAM.
2
Other terms for complementary and alternative
medicine include unconventional, non-conventional,
unproven, and irregular medicine or health care.
3
Some uses of dietary supplements have been
incorporated into conventional medicine. For
example, scientists have found that folic acid
prevents certain birth defects and that a regimen of
vitamins and zinc can slow the progression of an eye
disease called age-related macular degeneration
(AMD).
Definitions
Acupuncture ("AK-yoo-pungk-cher") is a
method of healing developed in China at least 2,000
years ago. Today, acupuncture describes a family of
procedures involving stimulation of anatomical
points on the body by a variety of techniques.
American practices of acupuncture incorporate
medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and
other countries. The acupuncture technique that has
been most studied scientifically involves
penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic
needles that are manipulated by the hands or by
electrical stimulation.
Aromatherapy ("ah-roam-uh-THER-ah-py"):
involves the use of essential oils (extracts or
essences) from flowers, herbs, and trees to promote
health and well-being.
Ayurveda ("ah-yur-VAY-dah") is a CAM
alternative medical system that has been practiced
primarily in the Indian subcontinent for 5,000
years. Ayurveda includes diet and herbal remedies
and emphasizes the use of body, mind, and spirit in
disease prevention and treatment.
Chiropractic ("kie-roh-PRAC-tic") is a CAM
alternative medical system. It focuses on the
relationship between bodily structure (primarily
that of the spine) and function, and how that
relationship affects the preservation and
restoration of health. Chiropractors use
manipulative therapy as an integral treatment tool.
Dietary supplements. Congress defined the
term "dietary supplement" in the Dietary Supplement
Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. A dietary
supplement is a product (other than tobacco) taken
by mouth that contains a "dietary ingredient"
intended to supplement the diet. Dietary ingredients
may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other
botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as
enzymes, organ tissues, and metabolites. Dietary
supplements come in many forms, including extracts,
concentrates, tablets, capsules, gel caps, liquids,
and powders. They have special requirements for
labeling. Under DSHEA, dietary supplements are
considered foods, not drugs.
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs, also called
electric and magnetic fields) are invisible lines of
force that surround all electrical devices. The
Earth also produces EMFs; electric fields are
produced when there is thunderstorm activity, and
magnetic fields are believed to be produced by
electric currents flowing at the Earth's core.
Homeopathic ("home-ee-oh-PATH-ic")
medicine is a CAM alternative medical system. In
homeopathic medicine, there is a belief that "like
cures like," meaning that small, highly diluted
quantities of medicinal substances are given to cure
symptoms, when the same substances given at higher
or more concentrated doses would actually cause
those symptoms.
Massage ("muh-SAHJ") therapists manipulate
muscle and connective tissue to enhance function of
those tissues and promote relaxation and well-being.
Naturopathic ("nay-chur-o-PATH-ic")
medicine, or naturopathy, is a CAM alternative
medical system. Naturopathic medicine proposes that
there is a healing power in the body that
establishes, maintains, and restores health.
Practitioners work with the patient with a goal of
supporting this power, through treatments such as
nutrition and lifestyle counseling, dietary
supplements, medicinal plants, exercise, homeopathy,
and treatments from traditional Chinese medicine.
Osteopathic ("ahs-tee-oh-PATH-ic")
medicine is a form of conventional medicine
that, in part, emphasizes diseases arising in the
musculoskeletal system. There is an underlying
belief that all of the body's systems work together,
and disturbances in one system may affect function
elsewhere in the body. Some osteopathic physicians
practice osteopathic manipulation, a full-body
system of hands-on techniques to alleviate pain,
restore function, and promote health and well-being.
Qi gong ("chee-GUNG") is a component of
traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement,
meditation, and regulation of breathing to enhance
the flow of qi (an ancient term given to what is
believed to be vital energy) in the body, improve
blood circulation, and enhance immune function.
Reiki ("RAY-kee") is a Japanese word
representing Universal Life Energy. Reiki is based
on the belief that when spiritual energy is
channeled through a Reiki practitioner, the
patient's spirit is healed, which in turn heals the
physical body.
Therapeutic Touch is derived from an
ancient technique called laying-on of hands. It is
based on the premise that it is the healing force of
the therapist that affects the patient's recovery;
healing is promoted when the body's energies are in
balance; and, by passing their hands over the
patient, healers can identify energy imbalances.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the
current name for an ancient system of health care
from China. TCM is based on a concept of balanced qi
(pronounced "chee"), or vital energy, that is
believed to flow throughout the body. Qi is proposed
to regulate a person's spiritual, emotional, mental,
and physical balance and to be influenced by the
opposing forces of yin (negative energy) and yang
(positive energy). Disease is proposed to result
from the flow of qi being disrupted and yin and yang
becoming imbalanced. Among the components of TCM are
herbal and nutritional therapy, restorative physical
exercises, meditation, acupuncture,
and remedial massage.
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This information is brought to you by:
The National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine. Visit their
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