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In a survey given of more than 31,000 U.S. adults, nearly 70% reported using at least one form of CAM therapy in their lifetime, making this "unconventional" medical approach one of the fastest growing sectors of American health care. The survey also found that CAM approaches are most often used to treat:
How common is CAM therapy in the US?
The 10 most frequently reported medical conditions for which CAM therapies were used are: 1 Allergies 2 Back or neck problems 3 Arthritis or rheumatism 4 Difficulty walking 5 Frequent headaches 6 Lung problems 7 Digestive problems 8 Gynecological problems 9 Anxiety attacks 10 Heart problems or chest pain
What are the 10 most common medical conditions for which CAM therapies?
Many psychological treatments that were once considered CAM are now in mainstream use. Support groups were once considered CAM. Now, they are considered a necessary part of treatment strongly suggested by mental health practitioners, especially in the treatment of addictions.
Are psychological treatments that were once considered Cam now in mainstream use?
According to the survey, Americans are most likely to use CAM for back, neck, head, or joint aches, or other painful conditions; colds; anxiety or depression; gastrointestinal disorders; or sleeping problems. (See figure 6.)
What are Americans most likely to use CAM for?
How many people use CAM therapies?
found that 75 percent of adults had ever used CAM and that 62 percent of adults had used some form of CAM therapy within the past 12 months. Excluding prayer from the definition decreased the rate of CAM use to 36 percent.
Who uses CAM therapy the most?
The majority of studies thus report that women are more likely than men to use CAM, and this has been found in national surveys in both the UK (1) and US (101). For example in one US study 39% of women and 31% of men had used CAM in the past year.
Are there any risks to using CAM treatments?
Adverse reactions to CAM practices can be classified as risks of commission (which includes removal of medical therapy) and risks of omission (which includes failure to refer when appropriate).
How common is alternative medicine?
In the U.S., CAM is used by about 38% of adults and 12% of children. Examples of CAM include: Traditional alternative medicine. This field includes the more mainstream and accepted forms of therapy, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, and Oriental practices.
What is the most common reason for CAM use in the US?
It appears that CAM is most often used to treat and/or prevent musculoskeletal conditions or other conditions involving chronic or recurring pain. Prayer specifically for health reasons was the most commonly used CAM therapy.
Why do patients use CAM?
Most people use CAM to treat and/or prevent musculoskeletal conditions or other conditions associated with chronic or recurring pain. Women were more likely than men to use CAM. The largest sex differential is seen in the use of mind-body therapies including prayer specifically for health reasons [2, 3].
What are the percentages of people using CAM with prayer and those who do not?
It was shown that 62% of 31,044 adults in the United States used some form of CAM. However, when prayer was excluded from the analysis, only 36% of adults were found to use CAM therapies. Many people, especially those with advanced forms of disease, may pray for their health.
What are the disadvantages of alternative medicine?
Disadvantages of Alternative Medicine for Back PainMinimal scientific research. When it comes to scientific proof, evidence is still limited. ... Longer term treatment. Traditional medical procedures can be quick and easy. ... Not useful in emergency cases. ... No Regulation.
What is the alternative treatment to chemotherapy?
Alternative therapies to chemotherapy include photodynamic therapy, laser therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy. Individuals should discuss possible treatments with medical professionals to establish which treatment may be most beneficial for them.
What percentage of the world uses alternative medicine?
According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 80% of people around the world use herbal medicine.
Why is alternative medicine becoming so popular?
Alternative medicine is so popular because it gives patients choices. A health conscious choice allows patients to make life style changes, understand medical alternatives to care, and be an active participant in their medical treatment.
What is CAM used for?
Complementary and alternative medicine (often referred to by the acronym “CAM” ) encompasses a wide range of therapies that fall outside the treatments offered by conventional medicine. Repeated studies * have found that more than three quarters of Canadians use CAM therapies to treat a myriad of health conditions.
Which CAM therapies are the most popular?
You might be surprised to learn that many commonly accessed or used treatments are actually included under the umbrella of complementary and alternative medicine. The 10 most commonly used CAM therapies in Canada are:
How many people use CAM?
In the United States, 36% of adults are using some form of CAM. When megavitamin therapy and prayer specifically for health reasons are included in the definition of CAM, that number rises to 62%. (See figure 1.)
What are the health conditions that can be caused by CAM?
According to the survey, Americans are most likely to use CAM for back, neck, head, or joint aches, or other painful conditions; colds; anxiety or depression; gastrointestinal disorders; or sleeping problems. (See figure 6.)
How to learn more about CAM?
To learn more about CAM, including individual CAM therapies, visit the NCCAM Web site at www.nccam.nih.gov, or call the NCCAM Clearinghouse toll-free in the U.S. at 1-888-644-6226. Services include fact sheets, other publications, and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature.
How much money was spent on CAM in 1997?
The U.S. public spent an estimated $36 billion to $47 billion on CAM therapies in 1997. Of this amount, between $12 billion and $20 billion was paid out-of-pocket for the services of professional CAM health care providers.
What is considered CAM?
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. a Other terms for conventional medicine include allopathy; Western, mainstream, orthodox, and regular medicine; and biomedicine.
What therapies do not require a provider?
These included provider-based therapies, such as acupuncture and chiropractic, and other therapies that do not require a provider, such as natural products, special diets, and megavitamin therapy . (See a complete list of therapies that were included.)
What is the most commonly used domain of CAM?
When prayer is included in the definition of CAM, the domain of mind-body medicine is the most commonly used domain (53%). (See figure 3.) When prayer is not included, biologically based therapies (22%) are more popular than mind-body medicine (17%).
Who approves CAM therapy?
Doctors/therapists may refer you to someone who practices that form of therapy. A doctor/therapist approves the therapy, they might provide supervision of it. Doctors/therapists might make adjustments to current therapies to coordinate better with a CAM therapy they think might be helpful. Source: commons.wikimedia.org.
What is CAM therapy?
What are CAM therapies? The acronym stands for 'Complementary and Alternative Medicine.' These therapies are not mainstream treatments, but many of them have been evaluated in research studies and proven to help.
What is complementary therapy?
Complementary therapies are therapies that are used along with mainstream Western treatments. In many cases, your doctor, nurse, or therapist will suggest and supervise these complementary therapies. Some people do complement their mainstream treatments with other therapies on their own.
What is mainstream medicine?
Mainstream medicine refers to treatments approved by most doctors and therapists. These treatments have typically gone through a research phase and been introduced slowly into clinical practice before being widely accepted. Thus, mainstream medicine is a term with a meaning that changes from year to year. For example, there was a time when cognitive behavioral therapy was not yet accepted as a mainstream therapy. However, now, it has become perhaps the most common single mental health therapy of all and is considered mainstream.
Is CAM therapy effective?
CAM therapies in the mental health field include many therapies that aren't yet proven effective. Many psychological treatments that were once considered CAM are now in mainstream use. Support groups were once considered CAM therapy. Now, they are considered a necessary part of treatment strongly suggested by mental health practitioners, especially in the treatment of addictions.
Do doctors follow complementary therapies?
In many cases, the doctor will follow your complementary therapies personally, but in any case, they always need to be kept up to date on them. Source: unsplash.com.
Can CAM be used for mental health?
CAM therapies can be used for any medical or mental health condition, although they may not be as effective in some cases. People who have a life-threatening illness may try CAM treatments if they don't want to face the side effects of the drugs or other treatments offered to them by their doctor.
What is the most commonly used CAM therapy?
Advanced Search. Among the most widely used CAM therapies are manipulative therapies (such as chiropractic and massage therapy) for back pain, yoga and other forms of exercise, and acupuncture. Dietary supplements, such as vitamins and herbal medicines, are also fairly common.
How many people use CAM?
Even today, CAM therapies continue to grow in popularity. National surveys show nearly 69% of Americans use at least one form of CAM treatment in any given year. "Integrative medicine," a term recently adopted by a number of government and educational organizations, is intended to emphasize the use of multiple therapy and treatment approaches in ...
What can a therapist do to help with CAM?
Therapists can introduce those in treatment to complementary approaches such as meditation or relaxation. Doctors can suggest chiropractic care or massage therapy. A person who has had success with a particular CAM approach can share this information with a provider, in the interest of increasing knowledge about CAM.
What are the limitations of CAM?
Criticisms and Limitations of CAM 1 The application of CAM therapies in lieu of proven treatment in the case of life-threatening illness can put people at risk. 2 The use of herbal supplements not backed by research or approved by the FDA can be dangerous. People may experience harmful drug interactions or ingest toxic or contaminated ingredients. 3 Manipulation of the body can increase the risk of harm when the proper skill, knowledge, or training is not guaranteed.
What was the popular health movement?
Some of these critics formed the Popular Health Movement ( PHM ), which flourished during the 1830s and 1840s and was devoted to the preservation of herbal remedies, nutrition, exercise, self-healing, and other practice methods of midwives and lay practitioners.
Where is complementary medicine practiced?
The branch of medical care referred to as complementary and alternative medicine has been in practice in some parts of the world, such as China and India and among the numerous tribes of the indigenous American peoples, for hundreds of years. These traditional techniques may not necessarily be considered "complementary" or "alternative.".
Is CAM safe?
In addition to research challenges, some safety concerns regarding CAM do exist. The application of CAM therapies in lieu of proven treatment in the case of life-threatening illness can put people at risk. The use of herbal supplements not backed by research or approved by the FDA can be dangerous.
What is CAM in medical terms?
Broadly conceptualized, "complementary and alternative medicine" (CAM) refers to treatments not considered to be standard in the current practice of Western medicine: Complementary refers to the use of these techniques in combination with conventional approaches. Alternative refers to their use in lieu of conventional practices.
What is CAM used for?
The top 5 uses of CAM were for, in order: stress management, anxiety disorders, PTSD, depression, and back pain. CAM is used as an adjunctive therapy 72% of the time, but this was not reported as specific to PTSD or other disorders. 65% of facilities reported offering one of more types of CAM for PTSD.
Is CAM part of conventional medicine?
Many treatments and techniques that are considered CAM within the U.S. are part of conventional medicinal practices in other parts of the world. As Western practitioners and consumers increasingly adopt these approaches, the boundaries between conventional medicine and CAM continue to shift.
Is CAM good for PTSD?
Use of CAM is widespread for the management of mental health problems, including PTSD. There is only limited evidence about the effectiveness of CAM as a treatment for PTSD; however, the evidence suggests that some CAM approaches have modest beneficial effects as a treatment for PTSD. Most VA mental health programs offer CAM approaches;
Is PTSD a CAM?
Conventional PTSD Treatment and CAM. Some conventional therapies for PTSD (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapies [CBT]) include elements that are consistent with CAM approaches. They are not considered to be CAM herein because CBT has a separate and well-developed basis in cognitive and behavioral theories.
What is the most commonly used CAM therapy?
According to the survey, the 10 most commonly used CAM therapies were: Prayer for own health. Prayer by others for the respondent's health.
What is CAM in health care?
CAM practitioners, on the other hand, take a more "holistic" approach to health care. They believe that health and disease involve a complex interaction of physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social factors. In order to treat a disease or promote good health, CAM practitioners treat the whole person.
What is the focus of CAM therapy?
Although CAM therapies vary widely, several themes can be traced through them all: The focus is on the whole person, the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. Prevention of illness is a primary goal. Treatments are highly individualized. Treatments are aimed at the causes of illness rather than at its symptoms.
Why is CAM considered holistic?
In order to treat a disease or promote good health, CAM practitioners treat the whole person. In the United States, this holistic approach to health has been labeled "alternative" for a variety of reasons.
What is CAM in medical terms?
What is CAM? Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a term used to describe a wide range of healing systems that are not typically considered part of mainstream or conventional Western medicine.
What are some examples of CAM?
Examples include people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), rheumatoid arthritis, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and cancer.
What is the goal of conventional medicine?
The goal of conventional medicine is to find the physical source of a particular disease and treat it. For example, if a person has an infection, a conventional doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to kill the invading bacteria. CAM practitioners, on the other hand, take a more "holistic" approach to health care.
Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The Safety of Cam
- Some CAM therapies have undergone careful evaluation and have been found to be generally safe and effective. These include acupuncture, yoga, and meditation to name a few. However, there are others that do not work, may be harmful, or could interact negatively with your medicines.
Clinical Trials to Test Cam Therapies
- NCI and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) are currently sponsoring or cosponsoring clinical trials that test CAM treatments and therapies in people. Some study the effects of complementary approaches used in addition to conventional treatments, and some compare alternative therapies with conventional treatments. You can find a list of all canc…
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Examples
- Complementary and alternative medicine can be used for any medical or mental health condition, although alternative medicine may not be as effective in some cases. People who have a life-threatening illness may try complementary and alternative medicine treatments such as healing plants if they don't want to face the side effects of the drugs or other treatments offered to them…
Mental Health
- Complementary and alternative therapies in the mental health field include many therapies that aren't yet proven effective. Many psychological treatments that were once considered alternative or CAM are now in mainstream use. Support groups were once considered complementary and alternative approaches. Now, they are considered a necessary part of treatment strongly sugges…
Using An Alternative Approach
- Since complementary therapies are used along with conventional treatments, your doctor must be informed about what you're doing. In many cases, the doctor will follow your complimentary therapies personally, but in any case, they always need to be kept up to date on them. But, what about alternative therapies? Your doctor probably either disapproves of them or has a more mai…
Cam Safety
- The question of whether alternative therapies are safe has two parts. First, it's important to know if the therapy will cause harm by doing it. Second, it's important to know whether the condition or potential disease will get worse while waiting for the alternative therapy to work when it might not prove effective at all. It is also important to note that you should do thorough content research b…
Talking About Cam
- Learning more about how CAM works
- Getting a professional's opinion on the therapy you're wondering about
- Finding out that what doctor/therapist is qualified to do that type of therapy
- Doctors/therapists may have information about the CAM treatment that you don't
Conclusion
- Cold feet about alternative medicine? You can talk to a therapist whenever and wherever you choose by going to the BetterHelp.comwebsite for online therapy. You can select one from thousands of mental health professionals. Many also work with clients who are actively using CAM therapies. Complementary and alternative therapies come with a variety of risks and possi…