Sci301 : Survey Of Alternative Medicine: Complementary, Alternative, And Integrative Medicine
Survey of Alternative Medicine:
Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine
SCI301
Survey of Alternative Medicine: Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine
Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine or CAM is defined as a group of health care or healing practices that are not part of what we know today as the health care system (Peters, 1997). I believe that a better way of defining what CAM is one should see the differences it has in comparison with modern medicine techniques used today. Simply stated, CAM does not promote the use of vaccinations, medications, or surgery while modern medicine turns to those actives as the solve-all for any illness as well as for every patient. CAM introduces a whole new line of health care systems or practices that involves many aspects of natural healing and practices that approach health care in a different way than traditional ways (O'Mathuna, 2004). These practices usually, if not all the time, involve treating the person as a whole. For instance, if a patient has a sore arm, then not only does the arm get treated but so does the mind and soul; and in some practices of CAM the arm is not directly treated at all. If modern medicine was considered to be conventional, then CAM practices are open-minded. CAM practices have been around since the beginning of civilizations, but have only been able to come into public view in recent times. Publicity and government spending on this type of health care and research has increased within recent times (Fanning, 2003). In 1998, nearly half of all Americans have tried some form of CAM therapy (Hanna, 1998). In 2004 it was said that one in ever 10 Americans have tried acupuncture and 28 percent have tried massage (Sklar, 2004). As well, the Journal of American Medical Association states that 42 percent of all Americans are using CAM therapies (Sklar, 2004). For those who have not tried CAM...
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