Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Have you ever visited a chiropractor for back pain? Or an acupuncturist for headaches?

More and more Americans are turning to what is called alternative health care, or care that usually isn't offered by their regular doctors or paid for by their health insurance, to treat a wide range of health problems, from allergies to cancer. Alternative health care or medicine is also called holistic or unconventional medicine.

People use alternative health care in place of their regular care, sometimes after that care doesn't help. Insurance companies cover many types of regular care, which you can get from most doctors in the U.S. Alternative care used together with regular health care is called complementary care. Together, these two treatment paths are known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Another term you might have heard is integrative medicine. This is regular, or mainstream, medicine combined with CAM therapies that research shows are safe and effective.

The National Institutes of Health created a special center to identify and define CAM treatments and study how the most popular ones, such as acupuncture and dietary supplements, affect healing. One of the biggest concerns about CAM is that many of the treatments haven't had the same kind of intense scientific testing that mainstream treatments have.

Types of CAM Treatments

Some of the CAM therapies you might come across include:

Mind-Body Healing, which focuses on using the power of your mind to improve health (meditation, prayer, music therapy)
Alternative Medical Systems, or complete systems of medical practice and care that developed apart from the mainstream approach used in the U.S. (Ayurveda; Chinese medicine, including acupuncture; homeopathy; naturopathy)
Biologically based therapies, which use natural substances like food and herbs in healing (herbal products and food supplements)
Body-based (or manipulative) methods, which promote healing by moving one or more parts of the body (chiropractic, massage, osteopathy)
Energy therapies, or treatments that tap the body's energy fields (Reiki, therapeutic touch, magnets)

Finding Good Care

If you decide to use an alternative or complementary treatment, there are some very important things you need to think about:

The safety, quality, and effectiveness of the care you want
The experience and qualifications of the person or persons providing the care
The cost

Safety, Quality, and Effectiveness

Learn all you can about the therapy you want to try. Ask:

What kind of track record does this type of care have in treating my condition?
Is this treatment safe? What are the risks and benefits? What are the side effects?
How many people with my condition use this kind of treatment?
How long has this treatment been used for my condition?
What does this treatment involve? What should I expect to happen when I get the treatment?
What kind of facilities and providers will I be using?
Are the facilities clean and up-to date?
Are the providers experienced and properly trained? Are their diplomas or resumes available to review in the office?

You can research treatments online or go to the library. Medical journals and professional Web sites and libraries, such as CAM on PubMed can give you sound information about what to expect. You also can talk to people who use or have used the treatment.

Experience and Qualifications

The background, experience, and training of CAM providers can vary greatly. Professional groups, like the American Chiropractic Association and the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture can tell you what kind of training to look for and help you find licensed providers in your area.

Other places to find qualified providers include:

Directories, such as the one from the American Holistic Medical Association
Friends, relatives, coworkers, or your doctor or hospital staff, who can give you referrals
State licensing boards or regulating agencies. Since CAM providers may not be regulated, ask your city, county, or state health department if there is a licensing board for the kind of provider you want to see

You might want to interview providers before making a decision about your care. Find out:

How long they have been practicing this sort of therapy
Where they were educated and trained (and for how many years)
Whether they work with other providers and are willing to work with your regular doctor
Whether they work with a hospital, clinic, university, medical school, or other health care facility
What their general philosophy is about treatment and care

Cost of Care

While some insurance companies are beginning to pay for some of the more popular and established CAM treatments, such as chiropractic, you'll have to pay for most CAM treatments yourself. Before you sign up for care, find out how much it will cost, how many treatments the provider thinks you'll need, and whether you'll be able to afford the care for as long as you'll need it. Ask how the practice bills for services and whether you can set up a payment schedule if needed.

Other Things to Consider

Talk to your doctor. If you plan on using CAM treatment, tell your regular doctor, even if you think he or she will disapprove or discourage you. More doctors are becoming open to learning about different treatments as CAM grows more popular. If you're taking medicine or getting other treatment from your regular family doctor or specialist, you don't want CAM therapies to interfere or cause harm.
Don't rush. Take your time making a decision about CAM treatment - do as much research and talk to as many people as you can. Some alternative treatments are useless, some can be harmful, others can be helpful.
Do a reality check. Be careful of anything you read or hear about that promises a miracle cure, medical breakthrough, new discovery, or cure-all. Don't assume something is safe just because it's labeled "natural," especially herbs or food supplements. Before you pull a product off the shelf at a drugstore or health food store, or order it online, talk with a nutritionist, herbalist, doctor, or pharmacist.
Check sources of all information. Some companies promote certain therapies that don't work to make money. Look for research to support evidence that a treatment works and check more than one source of information.

Source: National Center For Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

AARP Resources

American WholeHealth
AARP's Alternative Health and Wellness Network can show you how to treat a chronic health problem by combining the best of conventional and alternative medicine. You also can get help finding a provider in your area (at a discount if you're an AARP member).

Finding Good Health Information Online
Don't believe everything you read online. When it comes to health information, be sure to check your sources carefully.

How To Talk To Your Doctor
Sharing information with your doctor and making treatment decisions together will result in the best care.

Are Food Supplements For Me?
When it comes to buying and using food supplements, it's "buyer beware."

Additional Resources

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) This center at the National Institutes of Health has information on CAM research and treatments, how to choose a provider, questions to ask, safety alerts, and a dictionary of CAM terms.

Online Directory
The National Library of Medicine's (NLM) Directory of Health Organizations Online lists groups you can contact for more information about CAM providers.

CAM On PubMed
You can search for journal articles on CAM at this site.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Find information on supplements like ephedra, kava, and fen-phen, and report health and safety complaints.

Books

Find these books online at Barnes & Noble.com

"Dr. Weil's Integrative Medicine", Andrew Weil, Sounds True, Inc., 2000

"Perfect Health: The Complete Mind-Body Guide", Deepak Chopra, Crown Publishing Group, 2001

"Alternative Medicine For Dummies", James Dillard, Terra Ziporyn, IDG Books Worldwide, 1998