Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
21 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
Hello everyone;
Massage Professor here once again with some more interesting tid bits for your digestion pleasure.
I have been asked by some clients to explain what CAM is and does it work. Well, here goes!
CAM is any medical system, practice or product that is not thought of as standard care. Standard medical care is care that is based on scientific evidence. (Example: CANCER would include chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy and surgery.)
Now let me explain the difference between the terms, Complementary and Alternative.
Complementary medicine is used along with standard medical treatments. (Example: Acupuncture is used to help with cancer treatment side effects.)
Alternative medicine is used in place of standard medical treatments. (Example: Herbs, aromatherapy and special diet to treat cancer instead of a method that an oncologist suggests.)
Integrative medicine is a total approach to care that involves the patient’s mind, body and spirit. It combines standard medicine with the CAM practices that have been shown the most promise. (Example: Learning to use relaxation techniques as a way to reduce stress before, during and after chemotherapy treatments.)
More will be coming in the days to follow. Stop back often to see updates.
Thanx!
The Massage Professor
