CAM Therapeutic Modalities 1

CAM Therapeutic Modalities Paper University of Phoenix SCI 201 By Philip J. Valles Instructor Bryon Keil May 28, 2012

CAM Therapeutic Modalities 2 Health care is the major debate in current news, weather it is from topics like health care reform or the cost of treatment. Conventional medicine has taught us that traditional treatment is warranted if there is something that ailments us. With the trend in doctors prescribing medication or consumers not being satisfied with the care theyve received, there are many issues with conventional medicine that has some looking for alternative medicine. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) 38% of adults use CAM for medical needs, and 68% of adults have used some type of CAM treatment with in the past year. In this reading we will discuss the difference between conventional medicine, complimentary medicine, and alternative medicine. Finally, we will see how CAM treatments for diabetes and how sources highlight CAM treatments for diabetes. What is Conventional Medicine? Medterms.com defines conventional medicine as, 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 and allopathic medicine; Western medicine, mainstream medicine, orthodox medicine, and regular medicine; and biomedicine.

CAM by definition and how conventional medicine play a role

Alternative Medicine: is any type of medicine that doesnt fall in the normal convention of medicine. Alternative medication comes from historical or cultural backgrounds. For example, Native Americans have cultural traditions of healing their people through prayer

CAM Therapeutic Modalities 3 and medication provided by the earth. In these alternative methods, conventional medicine isnt present and at this level treatments were reasonable for ailments if not all treatments. Complementary Medicine: s treatment or medicine used in addition to conventional care. Examples include yoga, herbal, acupuncture, and meditation. Conventional medicine can work in conjunction with complimentary medicine. For example, a patient with high blood pressure may look into meditation or yoga to help lower high blood pressure. Integrative Medicine: is the combination of traditional medicine, complementary, and alternative treatments. Conventional medicine is a large part of integrative medicine and requires having a doctor who is open to alternative treatments.

The difference between complementary and alternative medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine focuses on healing and disease prevention by healing the mind, body, and soul. The idea of CAM is have the body heal itself on its own. Dr. Hunter Doherty (also known as Patch Adams) believes in the same idea of CAMs and uses them.

CAM FAB 5 the five practitioners when focusing on treatment

Biological based treatments: extracts used in this treatment include vitamins, minerals, fatty amino acids, and functional foods.

Manipulative and body-based method: massage therapy, reflexology, structural integration, cupping, scraping, and chiropractic

Mind-Body interventions: Meditation, yoga, art therapy, aromatherapy, visualization, and self-hypnosis.

CAM Therapeutic Modalities 4 Energy treatments: veritable energy medicine, magnet and light treatments. Energy medicine with putative energy fields; therapeutic touch, healing touch, and magnet treatment. Alternative medical systems: Chinese medicine, Native American medicine, and Ayurvedic (Indian).

Treating diabetes with CAM

According to the National Center of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, diabetes is affecting millions of Americans. We know that there are conventional medications to control diabetes. There are people that have begun to try to use CAM therapies, including dietary supplements. NCCAM focuses on Type 2 diabetes for research on effectiveness and safety of supplements that people sometimes use. When researching the NCCAM website, information found on taking supplements was found. Supplements are one of the five major domain practitioners in CAM treatment. Examples like Omega-3 fatty acids have been researched on their effect on controlling glucose and reducing heart disease risk.

A study done in China may benefit people with pre-diabetes, but evidence in inconclusive. Pre-diabetes would be condition that a person would know from family inherence. The study that was done in china had to do with Chinese herbal medicine. In 16 clinical trials involving 1,391 participants with pre-diabetes and 15 different Chinese herbal formulations, analysis of data from eight trials that included lifestyle modification as a comparison found that lifestyle modification combined with Chinese herbs was twice as effective as lifestyle modification alone in normalizing blood sugar levels. Participants who received herbal formulations were also less likely to develop full-blown diabetes during the study period.

CAM Therapeutic Modalities 5 Because of the different types of formulation, they study was considered biased and needed further studying.

According to NCCAM, Yoga is in a current study for diabetes and on how it will lower glucose levels. When we look to integrative medicine, there is no reason why a person with diabetes or even pre existing diabetes could mix the treatments and research materials found on NCCAM website. It is however important to contact your physician before attempting CAM treatments.

In conclusion, conventional medicine is widely practiced all over the world. Certain trends recently show that alternative option of treatment is on the rise. Just as the information shows from this reading, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is available to meet the needs of many who would like to research questions and are seeking to learn more about alternative options to conventional medicine.

CAM Therapeutic Modalities 6 Reference Page

What is Conventional Medicine? Conventional Medicine, Retrieved on May 28th, 2012 from, http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=33527

Chinese Herbal Medicine May Benefit People With Pre-Diabetes, But Evidence Is Inconclusive, Retrieved on May 28th, 2012 from, http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/110309.htm

Diabetes and CAM: A Focus on Dietary Supplements, Retrieved on May 28th, 2012 from, http://nccam.nih.gov/health/diabetes/CAM-and-diabetes.htm

NCCAM-Funded Research, NCCAM-supported research includes projects studying the effects of: Yoga, Retrieved on May 28th, 2012 from, http://nccam.nih.gov/health/diabetes/CAMand-diabetes.htm

Fontaine, K. (2005) Complementary & Alternative Therapies for Nursing Practice, Second Edition, Published by Prentice Hall.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2012). Retrieved on May 28, 2012 from http://nccam.nih.gov.