Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Simply known as CAM by most Americans, the complementary and alternative medicine is a difficult to define concept, which is no doubt a subject of discussion in healthcare circles. The American government defines CAM as "a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices, and products that are generally considered part of conventional medicine." Notably however, CAM has two categories of medicine: complementary medicine, and alternative medicine. The distinction between these two categories is that the former can be used along conventional treatment, while the latter is used as a substitute to conventional treatment. Generally, conventional treatment refers to medicines or practices used by trained and qualified health professionals.

Treatment methods that rely on complementary and alternative methods usually use natural products such as herbs, mind and body healing techniques and manipulative body-based practices. It is however worth noting that most of the CAM practices do not guarantee healing and neither have researchers or scientists independently verified the benefits of such treatments. Regardless of this 'gaps’ in CAM practices, it is notable that at least 38 percent adult Americans use different forms of the complementary or alternative medicine.

The use of natural products is of special significance in the practice of complementary and alternative medicine. Specifically, CAM practitioners use 'natural products’ such as herbs, and microorganisms such as bacteria to improve human health. In a 2007 survey conducted by National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), it was found out a significant number of American adults  used 'natural products’, with or without knowing that they were a form of CAM. Among the most used complementary medicine/dietary supplement was Omega 3, with 37.4 American adults reportedly using it.

Apart from natural products, complementary and alternative medicine features mind-body techniques meant to enhance the interaction of the person’s behavior, body, mind, and brain. Such techniques include meditation, acupuncture, qi gong, tai chi, hypnotherapy, and yoga among others. Most of the mind-body techniques practiced in the contemporary was adopted from Asian countries. Tai chi and qi gong for instance have their origins in China, while yoga has been traced back to India.

Another common form of complementary and alternative medicine involves manipulative body-based practices. Therapies that fall within this category include massage therapy and spinal manipulation. Of the two, massage therapy is more common and involves pressing, rubbing, and manipulating muscle and soft tissues in a person’s body. Although massage can be used to enhance a person’s general well-being, people with known health conditions can still use it to relieve pain, address depression or anxiety, rehabilitate injuries, and increase relaxation. Spinal manipulation is more specific to people ailing from back pains. Due to the sensitive nature of the spine, only qualified personnel should practice any form of spinal manipulation.

Although less common, traditional healers are also classified as givers of complementary and alternative medicine. Such 'healers’ use indigenous beliefs and theories ostensibly to restore health and well-being to their clients.