I.. 1. Complementary And Alternative Medicine. 2. Trends

In this assignment I will be explaining factors that affect access to complementary therapies; I will then explain how the use of complementary therapies is regulated. Then I will explain the principles and practises of complementary therapies I will then go on to discuss complementary therapies that are available for users of Health & Social Care services.

The mission of NCCAM is to investigate the “usefulness and safety” of alternative and complementary medicine and the roles they could possibly play in improving health of the nation and our healthcare system by advance research on mind and body interventions,

Complementary and alternative medicine or CAM is “a large and diverse set of systems of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention based on philosophies and techniques other than those used in conventional Western medicine, often derived from traditions of medical practice used in other (non-Western) cultures. Such practices may be described as alternative that is, existing as a body separate from and as a replacement for conventional Western medicine, or complementary, that is, used in addition to conventional Western practice. CAM is characterized by its focus on the whole person as a unique individual, on the energy of the body and its influence on health and disease, on the healing power of nature and the mobilization of the body 's own resources to heal itself, and on the treatment of the underlying causes, rather than symptoms, of disease. Many of the techniques used are the subject of controversy and have not been validated by controlled studies” (“Complementary and alternative”, 2009). In essence, complementary refers to unconventional therapy used together with conventional medicine and alternative refers to an unconventional approach used in the place of conventional medicine. Some examples of CAM include chiropractic medicine, yoga, meditation, diet therapies, acupuncture, herbal medicine such as vitamin and mineral supplements and therapeutic touch therapy. They will either be classified as complementary or alternative based on whether the method

Patients and families often are presented with several treatment options. The options given are more than likely going to be the options that the physician recommends based on evidence- based research. Patient’s today have many advantages as compared to thirty years ago. Patients and family members can now access information from a wide variety of sources using the internet. The internet contains numerous webpages, articles, and reports that may either praise or put down certain treatments. Among the treatments that patients may come across today there is an ever evolving interest in complementary and alternative medications. These medications have some

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

There are so many wonderful complementary and alternative therapies being practiced today to help relieve many of the symptoms one faces living with Alzheimer's and other dementias. The main goal of these therapies are to assist with feelings of loneliness, frustration, and agitation one may suffer from this incurable disease. Many are turning to essential oils, massage and doll therapies to help reduce the undesirable effects of Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias.

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”,

Incorporate non-pharmacological complementary and alternative treatments with conventional medicine to treat complex chronic pain conditions as a collaborative and integral part of the health care system.

In the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), alternative medicine, complementary medicine, and integrative medicine are used in a variety of ways and may be incorporated into conventional medicine. Although CAM and conventional medicine have different philosophies, the

MedlinePlus Complementary and Integrative Medicine. (CAM). NIH. U.S. National Library of Medicine. NIH. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Retrieved from www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus. and www.nlm.nih.gov. or www.nccih.nih.gov. NCCIH Pub No.: D428. (March 2009 - October

The term ‘Complementary therapy’ is an umbrella term which covers a variety of treatments. The main trait these treatments share is the aim to treat the entire patient rather than a specific illness or symptom. The use of complementary therapies is increasing within our society, with more than 30% of adults accessing a complementary therapy. However, there are a number of critics which question the effectiveness of complementary therapies. This report will evaluate the effectiveness of complementary therapies in the treatment of individuals.

CAM is a “diverse group of medical and healthcare systems, products, and practices that are considered to be outside of conventional medicine practices” (Valji et al., 2013, p. 1). It is generally understood that the term “complementary” refers to those products and practices that are used in conjunction with conventional medicine; while the term “alternative” indicates that the treatments are used in place of conventional medicine (NCCIH, 2014).

Australians have embraced the use of complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) with two out of three individuals in Australia accessing such services yearly (The National Institute of Complementary Medicine, 2010). CAMs are treatments that lie outside of typical mainstream medicine such as acupuncture, homeopathy, and western massage therapy. The general population commonly uses these services to assist in relieving pain caused by chronic illnesses (Manya, Champion, & Dunning, 2012; Okoro, Zhao, Li, & Balluz, 2013) or other medical ailments (Gottschling et al., 2013; Nissen, Lunde, Pedersen, & Johannessen, 2014). However, due to the lack of rigorous scientific testing on CAMs, many medical professionals are hesitant to suggest their use

The name of the author of the article ‘Complementary and alternative medicine between evidence and absurdity Edzard Ernst.

Additionally, In New York Times article, titled “When Trust in Doctors Erodes, Other Treatments Fill the Void”, author Benedict Carey states, “Americans spend more than $27 billion annually on complementary and alternative medicine, most of which are out-of-pocket expenses” (Add source). Moreover, Americans made 600 million visits a year to CAM providers, which is more than to primary care providers. Despite the growth of these practices, there are still low levels of understanding and its effectiveness and accuracy is relentlessly being questioned. This paper will explore and discuss the foundations of complementary and alternative medicine, the different types most used today, and the efficacy and safety of the various practices.