Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Therapies in Cancer Patients

Acupuncture can be used to treat osteoarthritis. It is based on an idea that there are channels throughout the body called “meridians” and that these allow the transport of an energy known as “Qi.” (NHS. 2012. Acupuncture.) Generally, acupuncture involves the insertion of needles at specific points along the body - these are known as “acupoints.” This insertion is thought to lead to the movement of Qi throughout the body, which causes biomedical changes that result in the “promotion of physical and emotional well-being” through the release of endorphins. (British Acupuncture Council. 2011. Acupuncture and Osteoarthritis.) Inserting needles at specific acupoints to treat osteoarthritis sends a message to the brain that assists in the reduction of “sensitivity to pain and stress.” (British Acupuncture Council. 2011. Acupuncture and Osteoarthritis.) This reduction in pain can allow for a better range of movement, thus function.

The Spine and Sport website proposes that the main disadvantage of acupuncture is infection, soreness and pain. However, this can be 100% avoidable if the service user receives treatment from a licensed acupuncturist. If a service user undergoing chemotherapy was to receive treatment from an un-licensed acupuncturist they would be more likely to get an infection as their immune system is already low. This could unfortunately result in the services reducing their chances of making a full/ quick recover. Furthermore, if the individual receiving chemotherapy was to get an infection due to acupuncture they wouldn’t feel relaxed and comfortable even though acupuncture is known to promote this. Also, if an individual feel under the weather and un-comfortable their progress may be stunted and the time taken for them to recover will increase because research has shown that mental determination helps individuals to recover. If the individual feels uncomfortable they will not have the determination and energy to mentally feel well.

Complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, can be characterized as a gathering of restorative, human services, and healing systems other than those incorporated into health care in the United States. CAM incorporates the perspectives, speculations, modalities, items, and practices connected with these systems and their utilization to treat disease and advance health and prosperity (McKenzie, 2012). Even though heterogeneous, the significant CAM frameworks have numerous normal attributes, including an attention on individualizing medications, treating the entire individual, advancing self-consideration and self-recuperating, and perceiving the otherworldly way of every person. What's more, numerous CAM frameworks have attributes generally found in standard human services, for example, an emphasis on great sustenance and preventive practices. Dissimilar to standard medication, CAM frequently needs or has just restricted trial and clinical concentrate; then again, experimental examination of CAM is starting to address this learning crevice. In this manner, limits in the

As complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) grows more popular with the American public, the question arises whether we should consolidate aspects of unorthodox medicine with standard care. Many, such as Dr. Andrew Weil, swear by CAM’s effectiveness and urge for a more patient-centered approach to care (Relman). While CAM has no shortage of critics, a growing body of research is indicating the effectiveness of many CAM therapies in treating a variety of conditions. Patients, physicians, and researchers sometimes find that CAM therapies are more

Low back pain has been a major activity limitation for many people below the age of 45 years in the United States (Andersson, 1999). According to a study conducted in the U.S. in 1997, there are 54 percent patients that report back pain and using complementary therapy (Wolsko et al., 2003). Another survey conducted in 2002 indicated that while back pain led to most frequent patient visits to acupuncturists across U.S (Cherkin et al., 2002). Western countries still experience many case of chronic low back pain which can be attributable to high medical expenses, decline in productivity, as well as disability. There still exists a variety of standard treatments although some have not been cleared as affective. Acupuncture is a contemporary as well as alternative treatment strategy for patients wilt low back pains although there are questions from previous systematic reviews that were inconclusive on the results of acupuncture treatment strategy for low back pain. These statistics indicate a high level of public concern hence strengthening the relevance for asking whether acupuncture gives positive results in the treatment of back pain. Therefore this research seeks to gain evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the positive results of acupuncture in treatment of low back pain.

To attain an effect approach to care of cancer there need for a holistic approach on the benefits to the patient. In the year 2010, the number of new cases of cancer was estimated to at 1.52 million cases with close to 570,000 of these people expected to die. This marks a 68% improvement compared to the initial survival rate of five years upon diagnosis. Associated costs in cancer treatment are on the rise. In the United States, costs amount to $263.8 billion where direct medical cost accounts for $102.8 billion and the rest being the lost productivity in the U.S. workforce (Stjernswärd, 2011). Advances in treatment have downgraded the disease from a terminal disease to a chronic one. Drug utilization in the United States increased by 0.7% in the year 2009 and spending grew by 6.1% per person. This is an aspect attributable to new and expensive therapies offered to patients (Edge S.B. et al., 2010).

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. As of 1990, there has been estimated 5 million people who have been taken by the disease. Every one of four people in the U.S will die of cancer, averaging at 1,500 people per day. There are many things in our daily lives that contribute to the growth and spread of cancer. The food and chemical industries take the blame. Naming it the “man made disease.” What many people do not understand is that there are other treatment options rather than chemo and radiation therapy. One of these alternative treatments is natural medicine. Natural medicine is beneficial because people have

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a term that describes health and wellness therapies that have not been part of conventional medicine. Complementary treatments is with conventional medicine, and alternative treatments is used in place of conventional medicine. It can include treatments and therapies such as massage, natural products, meditation, yoga, vitamin supplements, herbs, chiropractic, acupuncture, and lots more. But problems arise when CAM is questioned if it scientifically helps patients overcome a disease. Is there really health benefits? Are some of the products natural? Do they come with risks? These are questions that can be asked when looking into CAM.

Conventional treating of patients is not always the best treatment; there are routes a provider can explore to assist in the overall health and wellbeing of the patient. Complementary and alternative therapy (CAM) is the other route for the patient. Each of these modalities can produce a healing effect or relief from an ailment that will have an effect in a positive manner on the quality of life. Too many times patients become settled or complacent in his or her disease process and never look into the other routes.

In the early 1900’s antibiotic medications appeared thus decreasing the use of complementary and alternative therapies, however their popularity was regained in the 1970’s (Kramlich, 2014). The use of complementary and alternative therapies is an increasing trend that individuals seek out if they need relief from other medical approaches, if they feel they are missing something from Canada’s health care system, to increase over health and to prevent further illness. These therapies are a trend that has increased in the last two decades in Canada (Miller, 2001). A cross-sectional study was conducted by a Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) nationally, directing 400,055 Canadian’s ages thirteen and older in 2001 to 2007 to participate. The CCHS established that around 12% of Canadians used some form of complementary or alternative therapy aid in the past 12 months (Metcalfe et al, 2001). Debra Kramlich wrote an article titled “Introduction to Complementary, Alternative and Traditional Therapies” (2001) and compared statistics across numerous studies that were performed on complementary and alternative therapies. One study showed the rates of disclosure by individuals using complementary and alternative therapies. Two-thirds reported that they did not disclose their use of these therapies to their physicians. A cross-sectional survey discussed the increasing lack of disclosure rates in pregnant women that went from 1% in 2006 to 50% in 2013. A systematic review was briefly

In the last two decades, the use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) by the American public has grown exponentially, especially among women, meriting the question of “why?”. CAM is defined as any medical practice not regularly taught in biomedical schooling, and that is undertaken to replace or to be used in conjunction with standard biomedical practice (Su, D et al, 2011). Examples of CAM typically used include acupuncture, chiropractic care, and herbal medicine, as well as deep-breathing exercise, yoga, meditation, and prayer. The recent surge in CAM use has been so extreme that it is now estimated that 40 to 45 percent of Americans currently practice CAM use, with 68 percent of Americans having used CAM at some point in their

The uses of complementary or alternative medicine(CAM) has increased dramatically over the past decade. CAM is a group of health care therapies or practices that not considered part of the conventional medicine. However, CAM will be used along with or in place of conventional medicine. In America, nearly 38 percent of the adult population and 12 percent of child population are using CAM (NCCIH, 2016). CAM has been used for varieties of diseases or symptoms such as chronic pains, headaches, insomnia. In addition, there are more than forty types of CAM have been recognized in the United States. Natural products, deep breathing, and mediation are the most three common CAM used by Americans (NCCIH, 2016). For the ease of this assignment, an analysis of a type of CAM called acupuncture will be conducted. Acupuncture has been practiced in some Asia countries, especially China for thousands of years. People in those countries generally believed that it is beneficial in treating varieties of health conditions. Acupuncture was introduced into the United States in 1971 by a New York Time reporter (“NCCAM Acupuncture Information”,

“Cancer is now the largest revenue generator in American Traditional medicine. “ (Garcia M.D.) Alternative medicines are more effective than chemotherapy and radiation with far better side effects.

Complementary medicine and alternative options have gradually been gaining more support, and popularity as of late, especially among younger generations and the Elderly. With a politically charged health care system that focuses on after the fact response care, many Americans have been feeling as if the cards are stacked against maintaining a healthy lifestyle focusing on preventative measures. Taking into account of population it is the younger and older generations with the most to gain and lose.

Suzanne Somer’s book Knockout! Is a good resource (available for 1 cent on the internet) and she writes about the many doctors doing research on cancer cures? (About eight of them are now dead in the most suspicious circumstances.) Dr. Burzynski is in this book too. An excellent internet movie is Cancer: The Forbidden Cures which also mentions Burzynski’s clinic and also mistletoe juice which is very popular in Germany. Germany has doctors prescribing herbal cures and remedies. Nowhere is any country following the Rothschild Big Pharma culture of synthetic drugs more than the English-speaking countries. Dr. Mercola at drmercola.com recently wrote about Ayurvedic medicine which is 5000 years old and based on Indian tradition. Chinese medicine is also ancient and based on herbs and oil massages typical of Edgar Cayce’s cures which worked 99% of the