Why use CAM? And who is using it?

These are great questions. There are so many people asking the same thing, so let’s examine a few myths first.

Myth #1: The only reason people use CAM is because they had a bad experience with traditional medicine. 
Past experiences are actually not predictive of CAM use. Most people actually use CAM to help them relieve symptoms and that this perspective took into account the mind-body connection.

Myth #2: I have to choose between alternative medicine and traditional medicine. 
Research shows that most people who use CAM use it in addition to traditional medicine. So in actuality, CAM provides many people with more options.

Myth #3: Only individuals from certain cultures use CAM.
Actually, research shows it’s not necessarily about culture, use of CAM is really about health beliefs. The two might be connected, but not always. People who use CAM are often have a holistic philosophy that considers mind, body, and spirit.

What’s the reality? Almost 50% of the population has used alternative medicine at some point.

What’s the driving force behind the continued use of CAM? People found something that works for them!

If you have found yourself in a place looking for more options, CAM may be what you are looking for. The most important thing to remember is to consult with your doctor use CAM safely. Learn more about how to be a part of this conversation here.
 

The information provided in this posting is adapted from the article “Why Patients Use Alternative Medicine” by John A. Astin and can be found in The Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 309, Number 24 on pages 1548-1553. 

What do you need to know to be an informed consumer?

Brochure: What do you need to know to be an informed consumer?

Facts and Figures

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be used as an incredibly beneficial approach, but education regarding CAM is an essential component in making safe health decisions.

Let’s start with the basics. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) (2013a) provides definitions to help consumers get started.

• Complementary: utilizing a non-mainstream approach together with conventional medicine

• Alternative: utilizing a non-mainstream approach in place of conventional medicine

• Integrative: an evidence-based complementary approach (example: prescribing acupuncture to help with pain management for cancer patients)

What makes an approach complementary or alternative?

According to NCCAM (2013a), CAM can be stratified into the following two categories: 

• Natural products: herbs, vitamins, minerals, probiotics 

• Mind-body practices: acupuncture, massage therapy, meditation, movement therapy, relaxation, spinal manipulation, tai chi, yoga

The graph below published by NCCAM (2013a) shows the usage of different forms of CAM by adults and children. Natural products are the most utilized form of CAM. This emphasizes the need for safety information to ensure that consumers are able to make educated health decisions to minimize risk of drug-interaction and product contamination (NCCAM, 2013a).

Who uses CAM?

According to Briggs (2009), 38% of adults and 12% of children utilize CAM as a part of their healthcare approach. The most common uses of CAM involve chronic illnesses or pain such as back, neck, and joint pain, arthritis, and anxiety.

Be empowered to research!

NCCAM provides an excellent safety resource on their website. This guide can be found at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/safety/topics.htm (NCCAM, 2013b). It is important to remember that this is a guide. Conversations with medical providers are an essential component in order to ensure that patient safety is kept at the forefront of any treatment. 

A growing field

To learn more about the more recent growth of CAM, I encourage you watch this short video by PBS.

 

References

Briggs, J. P. (2009). Expanding horizons of health care. MedlinePlus, 4(1), 16-17. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/winter09/articles/winter09pg16-17a.html

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (2013a). Cam basics. Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2013b). How safe is this product or practice? Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/safety/topics.htm

Public Broadcasting Service. (2009, October 5). PBS nightly business report: Complementary and alternative medicine. Retrieved June 12, 2013 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Ek9i05HkE

Introduction

My name is Emily Mire, and I am in the Health Studies with a concentration in higher education PhD program at Texas Woman's University. I am a lover of higher education and learning. I have my Masters of Public Health and will graduate in December with my Masters of Education in Counseling from Texas Christian University. My husband and I have made our home in Fort Worth, TX with our sweet puppy named Franklin. We both work in Student Affairs at different institutions here locally, and we both come from health education backgrounds.

For me, my passion behind complementary and alternative medicine is a personal one. Three years ago, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. It was time to do something different, so I began to explore complementary and alternative medicine. What I found was that there are incredible resources out there, but it can be so hard to know how to navigate this realm of health. As a result...you have this blog!

I don't approach this subject from a mindset of having to pick one or the other in terms of traditional or alternative forms of medicine. More importantly, my passion empowering individuals to decide what is best for them.

Things I had never considered until I began this journey myself:

• How do I talk to my traditional medicine providers about integrating complementary and alternative forms of treatment?
• How do I find providers?
• How do I know which information I can trust?

I was overwhelmed. As I began to figure out how I was going to define health for myself, I realized that I wanted help others walk through this journey as well. For me, complementary and alternative medicine was a game changer. It provided new opportunities and a new sense of hope.

My counseling background has taught me that each individual has innate strengths inside themselves to build solutions and conquer mountains. Dr. Andrew Weil states that "Treatment originates outside you; healing comes from within." It's a beautiful truth. My hope is that this blog will empower others to search unceasingly for the answers that work for you. All in the pursuit of health.