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There are many terms used to describe approaches to health care that
are outside the realm of conventional medicine as practiced in the
United States. This fact sheet explains how the National Center for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a component of the
National Institutes of Health, defines some of the key terms used in
the field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Terms that
are underlined in the text are defined at the end of this fact sheet.
What is complementary and alternative medicine?
Complementary and alternative medicine, as defined by NCCAM, is a group
of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products
that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.1,2
While some scientific evidence exists regarding some CAM therapies, for
most there are key questions that are yet to be answered through
well-designed scientific studies--questions such as whether these
therapies are safe and whether they work for the diseases or medical
conditions for which they are used.
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.
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Are complementary medicine and alternative medicine different from each other?
Yes, they are different.
- Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. An example of a complementary therapy is using aromatherapy to help lessen a patient's discomfort following surgery.
- Alternative medicine is used in place of
conventional medicine. An example of an alternative therapy is using a
special diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation,
or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a conventional doctor.
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What is integrative medicine?
Integrative medicine, as defined by NCCAM, combines mainstream
medical therapies and CAM therapies for which there is some
high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness.
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What are the major types of complementary and alternative medicine?
NCCAM classifies CAM therapies into five categories, or domains:
1. Alternative Medical Systems
Alternative medical systems
are built upon complete systems of theory and practice. Often, these
systems have evolved apart from and earlier than the conventional
medical approach used in the United States. Examples of alternative
medical systems that have developed in Western cultures include homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine. Examples of systems that have developed in non-Western cultures include traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda.
2. Mind-Body Interventions
Mind-body medicine
uses a variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind's capacity to
affect bodily function and symptoms. Some techniques that were
considered CAM in the past have become mainstream (for example, patient
support groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy). Other mind-body
techniques are still considered CAM, including meditation, prayer,
mental healing, and therapies that use creative outlets such as art,
music, or dance.
3. Biologically Based Therapies
Biologically based therapies in CAM use substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods, and vitamins. Some examples include dietary supplements,3
herbal products, and the use of other so-called natural but as yet
scientifically unproven therapies (for example, using shark cartilage
to treat cancer).
4. Manipulative and Body-Based Methods
Manipulative and body-based methods in CAM are based on manipulation and/or movement of one or more parts of the body. Some examples include chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, and massage.
5. Energy Therapies
Energy therapies involve the use of energy fields. They are of two types:
- Biofield therapies are intended to
affect energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the human
body. The existence of such fields has not yet been scientifically
proven. Some forms of energy therapy manipulate biofields by applying
pressure and/or manipulating the body by placing the hands in, or
through, these fields. Examples include qi gong, Reiki, and Therapeutic Touch.
- Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies involve the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating-current or direct-current fields.
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What is NCCAM's role in the field of CAM?
NCCAM is the Federal Government's lead agency for scientific research
on CAM. NCCAM is dedicated to exploring complementary and alternative
healing practices in the context of rigorous science, training CAM
researchers, and disseminating authoritative information to the public
and professionals.
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Notes
1 Conventional medicine is medicine as
practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of
osteopathy) degrees and by their allied health professionals, such as
physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses. Other terms
for conventional medicine include allopathy; Western, mainstream,
orthodox, and regular medicine; and biomedicine. Some conventional
medical practitioners are also practitioners of CAM.
2 Other terms for complementary and
alternative medicine include unconventional, non-conventional,
unproven, and irregular medicine or health care.
3 Some uses of dietary supplements have
been incorporated into conventional medicine. For example, scientists
have found that folic acid prevents certain birth defects and that a
regimen of vitamins and zinc can slow the progression of an eye disease
called age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Definitions
Acupuncture ("AK-yoo-pungk-cher") is a
method of healing developed in China at least 2,000 years ago. Today,
acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulation of
anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. American
practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China,
Japan, Korea, and other countries. The acupuncture technique that has
been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with
thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by
electrical stimulation.
Aromatherapy ("ah-roam-uh-THER-ah-py"):
involves the use of essential oils (extracts or essences) from flowers,
herbs, and trees to promote health and well-being.
Ayurveda ("ah-yur-VAY-dah") is a CAM
alternative medical system that has been practiced primarily in the
Indian subcontinent for 5,000 years. Ayurveda includes diet and herbal
remedies and emphasizes the use of body, mind, and spirit in disease
prevention and treatment.
Chiropractic ("kie-roh-PRAC-tic") is a CAM
alternative medical system. It focuses on the relationship between
bodily structure (primarily that of the spine) and function, and how
that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.
Chiropractors use manipulative therapy as an integral treatment tool.
Dietary supplements. Congress defined the term
"dietary supplement" in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act
(DSHEA) of 1994. A dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco)
taken by mouth that contains a "dietary ingredient" intended to
supplement the diet. Dietary ingredients may include vitamins,
minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such
as enzymes, organ tissues, and metabolites. Dietary supplements come in
many forms, including extracts, concentrates, tablets, capsules, gel
caps, liquids, and powders. They have special requirements for
labeling. Under DSHEA, dietary supplements are considered foods, not
drugs.
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs, also called
electric and magnetic fields) are invisible lines of force that
surround all electrical devices. The Earth also produces EMFs; electric
fields are produced when there is thunderstorm activity, and magnetic
fields are believed to be produced by electric currents flowing at the
Earth's core.
Homeopathic ("home-ee-oh-PATH-ic") medicine
is a CAM alternative medical system. In homeopathic medicine, there is
a belief that "like cures like," meaning that small, highly diluted
quantities of medicinal substances are given to cure symptoms, when the
same substances given at higher or more concentrated doses would
actually cause those symptoms.
Massage ("muh-SAHJ") therapists manipulate
muscle and connective tissue to enhance function of those tissues and
promote relaxation and well-being.
Naturopathic ("nay-chur-o-PATH-ic") medicine,
or naturopathy, is a CAM alternative medical system. Naturopathic
medicine proposes that there is a healing power in the body that
establishes, maintains, and restores health. Practitioners work with
the patient with a goal of supporting this power, through treatments
such as nutrition and lifestyle counseling, dietary supplements,
medicinal plants, exercise, homeopathy, and treatments from traditional
Chinese medicine.
Osteopathic ("ahs-tee-oh-PATH-ic") medicine
is a form of conventional medicine that, in part, emphasizes diseases
arising in the musculoskeletal system. There is an underlying belief
that all of the body's systems work together, and disturbances in one
system may affect function elsewhere in the body. Some osteopathic
physicians practice osteopathic manipulation, a full-body system of
hands-on techniques to alleviate pain, restore function, and promote
health and well-being.
Qi gong ("chee-GUNG") is a component of
traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement, meditation, and
regulation of breathing to enhance the flow of qi (an ancient term
given to what is believed to be vital energy) in the body, improve
blood circulation, and enhance immune function.
Reiki ("RAY-kee") is a Japanese word
representing Universal Life Energy. Reiki is based on the belief that
when spiritual energy is channeled through a Reiki practitioner, the
patient's spirit is healed, which in turn heals the physical body.
Therapeutic Touch is derived from an ancient
technique called laying-on of hands. It is based on the premise that it
is the healing force of the therapist that affects the patient's
recovery; healing is promoted when the body's energies are in balance;
and, by passing their hands over the patient, healers can ide
