It is no longer news that Americans are using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The National Institutes of Health fund multiple centers for CAM research. Many major universities have CAM specialty centers of research such as the cancer center at Johns Hopkins University and the cardiovascular center at the University of Michigan. One out of three people have used an herbal, massage, manipulative, or biological therapy. Some health insurance policies cover CAM treatments. It is helpful to patients and health care providers both to be aware of available therapies.

Complementary medicine can be categorized into five major domains, manipulative or body-based therapies, biological therapies, mind/body intervention, alternate medical practice systems, and energy medicine.

Manipulative therapies include acupressure, chiropractic, Feldenkrais, massage, reflexology, and Rolfing among others. Biological therapies include antioxidants, cell treatment, lifestyle modification, chelation, diet, vitamin therapies, metabolic therapies, and nutritional supplementation. Mind/body interventions include art, biofeedback, dance, humor, hypnosis, meditation, music, prayer, psychological, relaxation, and yoga therapies. Alternative medical systems include acupuncture, Ayurvedic, homeopathy, naturopathic, shamanism, and traditional oriental (Chinese) medicine. Energy therapies include electroacupuncture, electrostimulation, magnetic therapy, Reiki, and therapeutic touch.

Western medicine has focused on the reduction of symptoms. CAM may be directed at subtle sources of distress that may be the cause of the illness. Using stress as an example, it is known that our bodies can spontaneously return to relaxation after acute stress but chronic stress requires intentional relaxation. Chronic stress stimulation results in increased blood pressure and heart rate, muscle tension, and hyperglycemia via the release of cortisol and catecholamines. Over time these contribute heavily to the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. In the Lifestyle Heart Trial, Dr. Dean Ornish, MD, used mind-body techniques to restore a state of relaxation which contributed to an improvement in the narrowing of coronary arteries, a major risk factor for heart attack.

Patients employing complementary medicine therapies to treat or prevent disease should share this information with their regular medical doctors and pharmacists. This is an exciting time in our medical history as we move toward integrating multiple therapies to improve the whole health of the individual. It is important to note that this approach places much more responsibility on the patient to participate and modify their behavior. It is time for all of us to become more responsible for our health.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) provides information via its web site, www.nccam.nih.gov.

Reference: Cynthia Payne: Complementary and Integrative Medicine: Emerging Therapies for Diabetes, Part I. Diabetes Spectrum, vol. 14, no. 3, 2001, p. 129-131.

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