Understanding CAM

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is often defined as any medical system, practice, or product that is not thought of as standard care.

• Complementary Medicine - Complementary medicine means it is used along with standard medicine.
• Alternative Medicine - Alternative medicine is used in place of standard treatments.

It is important that CAM therapies receive the same scientific evaluation that is used to assess standard healthcare approaches. As CAM therapies are proven safe and effective, they may become part of standard health care.

Complementary and alternative medicine may include dietary supplements, megadose vitamins, herbal preparations, special teas, acupuncture, massage therapy, magnet therapy, spiritual healing, and meditation.

Major categories of CAM therapies include:

A. Alternative Medical Systems (and some specific components)

Definition: 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: Acupuncture, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tibetan Medicine

B. Energy Therapies

Definition: Energy therapies involve the use of energy fields. There are 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.

Examples: Qi gong, Reiki, Therapeutic touch

Electromagnetic-based therapies involve the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating current or direct current fields.

Examples: pulsed electromagnetic fields, magnet therapy

C. Exercise Therapies

Examples: T'ai chi, yoga asanas

D. Manipulative and Body-Based Methods

Definition: Manipulative and body-based methods in CAM are based on manipulation and/or movement of one or more parts of the body.

Examples: Chiropractic, therapeutic massage, osteopathy, reflexology

E. Mind-body Interventions

Definition: Mind-body medicine uses a variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind's capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms.

Examples: meditation, hypnosis, art therapy, biofeedback, mental healing, imagery, relaxation therapy, support groups, stress management, music therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, dance therapy, aromatherapy.

F. Nutritional Therapeutics

Definition: An assortment of nutrients and non-nutrients, bioactive food components that are used as chemo-preventive agents, and the use of specific foods or diets as cancer prevention or treatment strategies.

Examples: dietary regimens such as macrobiotics, vegetarian, Gerson diet, Kelley/Gonzalez regimen; vitamins, dietary macronutrients, dietary supplements, soy phytoestrogens, nutrient minerals and elements (amino acids), antioxidants, glutamine, selenium, coenzyme Q10, orthomolecular medicine.

G. Pharmacological and biologic treatments

Definition: Off-label use of prescription drugs, hormones, complex natural products, vaccines, and other biological interventions not yet accepted in mainstream medicine.

Examples: Antineoplastions, products from honey bees, mistletoe, shark cartilage, 714X, low dose naltrexone, metenkephalin, immunoaugmentative therapy, laetrile, hydrazine sulfate, melatonin.

Sub-category: Complex Natural Products

Definition: An assortment of plant samples (botanicals), extracts of crude natural substances, and un-fractionated extracts from marine organisms used for healing and treatment of disease.

Examples: herbs and herbal extracts, mixtures of tea polyphenols, shark cartilage

H. Spiritual Therapies

Examples: Intercessory prayer, spiritual healing