By: Julia Thomas
Updated November 05, 2021
Medically Reviewed By: Kay Adkins, LPC
Today, it seems that there are more treatment options than ever before as we have the benefit of choosing between accepted Western treatments and natural Eastern therapies. CAM therapies are other types of therapies besides those accepted by Western establishments. Though they might not be the standard practices used by your doctor or therapist, some find them effective and may be worth considering as an addition to Western care.
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Complementary and Alternative Medicine
What are CAM therapies? The acronym stands for 'Complementary and Alternative Medicine.' These therapies are not mainstream treatments, but many of them have been evaluated in research studies and proven to help.
Mainstream Medicine
Mainstream medicine refers to treatments approved by most doctors and therapists. These treatments have typically gone through a research phase and have been introduced slowly into clinical practice before being widely accepted. Thus, mainstream medicine is a term with a meaning that changes from year to year. For example, there was a time when cognitive behavioral therapy was not yet accepted as a mainstream therapy. However, now, it has become perhaps the most common single mental health therapy of all and is considered mainstream.
Western Medicine
Western medicine is a term that's similar to mainstream medicine. The two terms are usually considered synonymous. The difference is that mainstream refers to what is most common, while Western medicine refers to a specific type of medicine. In Western medicine, healthcare professionals treat patients with drugs, surgery, or radiation.
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Complementary therapies are therapies that are used along with mainstream Western treatments. In many cases, your doctor, nurse, or therapist will suggest and supervise these complementary therapies. Some people do complement their mainstream treatments with other therapies on their own. One example is a person who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer but also taking herbal remedies to help with the side effects of the mainstream treatment.
Alternative Therapies
While complementary therapies are done in addition to mainstream treatments, alternative therapies are done instead of them. If your psychiatrist suggests you take an antidepressant and you choose to take an herbal remedy like St. John's Wort instead, that's an alternative therapy. Some doctors, psychiatrists, and psychologists are willing to work with you even if you choose alternative therapies. However, many are not. Herbalists and other natural healers may take the lead in personalized treatment instead of alternative therapies.
Integrative Therapies
Integrative therapies offer the best of all worlds. They combine the best therapies for the individual based on the complete person and what is needed to get better. Rather than focusing on one type of therapy for every problem, the integrative therapist or doctor uses what seems best for the individual under specific circumstances. They may use new, standard, old, or ancient medical treatments or therapy methods in any combination they feel is best for the disorder.
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Examples
Complementary and alternative medicine can be used for any medical or mental health condition, although they may not be as effective in some cases. People who have a life-threatening illness may try CAM treatments if they don't want to face the side effects of the drugs or other treatments offered to them by their doctor. They may also choose complementary and alternative medicine when nothing else has worked. These therapies aren't just for the critically ill. Many people with stubborn nuisance problems use CAM therapies rather than put out the time, effort, and pay to go to their doctor.
So, what types of CAM therapies are there? Complementary and alternative medicine for medical problems include treatments from the following systems as well as others.
- Homeopathic medicine
- Naturopathic medicine
- Traditional Chinese medicine
- Ayurveda
What about specific examples? The following are just a few of the different CAM therapies to consider:
- Acupuncture
- Aromatherapy
- Biofeedback
- Chiropractic
- Herbal medicines
- Hypnosis
- Magnet therapy
- Massage
- Meditation
- Nutritional supplements
- Osteopathic manipulative therapy
- Qi gong
- Reflexology
- Reiki
- Special Diets
- Spiritual healing
- Tai chi
- Yoga
Mental Health
CAM therapies in the mental health field include many therapies that aren't yet proven effective. Many psychological treatments that were once considered CAM are now in mainstream use. Support groups were once considered CAM. Now, they are considered a necessary part of treatment strongly suggested by mental health practitioners, especially in the treatment of addictions.
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Any of the CAM therapies listed above might feasibly be used for mental disorders. Also, psychologists often refer patients to other therapists or work with people who are using or want to use the above CAM treatments as well as the following therapies and others:
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Prayer
- Dance therapy
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Regression therapy
- Animal-assisted therapy
- Light therapy (for the seasonal affective disorder)
Should I Use Alternative Therapies?
Since complementary therapies are used along with conventional treatments, your doctor must be informed about what you're doing. In many cases, the doctor will follow your complimentary therapies personally, but in any case, they always need to be kept up to date on them.
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But, what about alternative therapies? Your doctor probably either disapproves of them or has a more mainstream option in mind for your treatment. So, should you even tell them? More than that, do you even need to see a doctor about your condition if you've already decided to use an alternative therapy? Before you do it alone, consider the following questions.
Is CAM Safe?
The question of whether alternative therapies are safe has two parts. First, it's important to know if the therapy will cause harm by doing it. Second, it's imperative to know whether the condition will get worse while waiting for therapy to work when it might not prove effective at all.
As to the first question, the alternative therapy should be done before being started before starting. Some can be extremely harmful. For example, mega-doses of vitamins may sound like a good idea, but if taking fat-soluble vitamins, the alternative therapy can cause serious harm by taking too much.
Herbal medicines can cause severe reactions and serious side effects in some people. If taking mainstream medications, they can cause deadly interactions. Many people take medications for common disorders, such as high blood pressure, but don't think of that medication as being relevant when they take an herbal remedy for a different condition. The truth is that any two things you put in the body might interact in a harmful way. That's why it's important to run this idea about an alternative therapy past a doctor, pharmacist, or therapist.
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It's also important to consider the question of whether the alternative treatment is effective enough to warrant choosing it over a proven therapy. If one isn't a fan of modern medicine, it may feel awkward to talk to a doctor or therapist about alternative therapy. However, they keep up with medical and psychological studies and may provide a knowledgeable perspective on the subject. If they don't already know about the treatment, they know how to find out. They can also help you understand exactly how the treatments they suggest can help you.
Do I Need A Doctor's/Therapist's Supervision?
Unless the alternative treatment uses an illegal substance, no one is going to stop someone from using it unless it's a threat to themselves or others. However, work with a doctor or therapist if to have the greatest chance of overcoming your physical or mental disorder.
Some doctors/therapists might not provide the treatment themselves. In some cases, if they agree it's an acceptable option, they might make a referral to another therapist. Suppose an individual is suffering PTSD after a traumatic event or situation. The therapist might believe massage therapy would be a good option. However, if they provided that alternative therapy themselves, they would have to step beyond the boundaries they need for talk therapy. So, they might continue with talk therapy while referring you to a massage therapist for complementary therapy.
Talking To Your Health Professional About CAM
Since CAM therapies are often controversial, there may be some hesitation to talk to a doctor or therapist about them. However, these conversations can be beneficial, such as:
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Learning more about how CAM works.
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Getting a professional's opinion on the therapy you're wondering about.
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Finding out that what doctor/therapist is qualified to do that type of therapy.
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Doctors/therapists may have information about the CAM treatment that you don't.
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Finding out what insurance will cover it.
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Doctors/therapists may refer you to someone who practices that form of therapy.
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A doctor/therapist approves the therapy, they might provide supervision of it.
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Doctors/therapists might make adjustments to current therapies to coordinate better with a CAM they think might be helpful.
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There's no reason at all not to ask about CAM if it's believed it would be helpful. Before asking, take some time to research the therapy and decide if it's worth pursuing. Then, visit the doctor or therapist with what's been learned and ask if they approve it and if so if they will add it to complementary therapy.
If a doctor or therapist says 'no,' ask them why they think it's a harmful or ineffective therapy. When you feel strongly that CAM is needed, the doctor or therapist must take these questions seriously enough to explain their reasoning.
A caring professional will make sure consumers understand the risks being] faced and the benefits received if choosing that therapy. Otherwise, it's too easy to give up on therapy completely. So, if they don't listen to your suggestion at all, you might want to consider talking to another doctor or therapist to get another opinion.
Conclusion
You can talk to a therapist whenever and wherever you choose by going to BetterHelp.com for online therapy. There, you can select one of the hundreds of therapists available to you. Many of the therapists also work with clients who are actively using CAM therapies. Complementary and alternative therapies come with a variety of risks and possible benefits. When you find the right therapist to help you, you can sort out the helpful from the harmful and pursue the therapies that are best suited to you and your needs!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are some examples of CAM therapies?
CAM therapies can include anything ranging from acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine, fatty acids, aromatherapy, diet therapy, chiropractic medicine, and even biofeedback. The essence of CAM emphasizes the mind-body and general health care. Alternative medical practices have been around for years, but they are beginning to grow popular as a form of medical treatment and stress management. Energy therapies that focus on specific parts of the body are also a popular version of CAM.
What is CAM used for?
CAM is a term reserved for treatment that is not a part of conventional medical treatment as defined by the department of health. These practices are not considered to be a standard part of medical care which is where the alternative part of the name comes from. With that said, CAM therapies such as herbal medicine, energy therapies, and more can be used to help the human body and health problems such as chronic pain and more.
What is the most common CAM?
Based on the
results polled, it seems that the most common type of CAM is participation in a prayer group for health. Following this is alternative medical substances, chiropractic care, yoga, and receiving massage therapy. Healing touch-based therapies are growing in popularity and the national institutes of health are pouring large amounts of funds into treatment research for alternative medical practices to test their efficacy. Another commonly used alternative practice is guided imagery meant to promote positive energy fields within the body.
What are the 5 major types of CAM?
CAM has long been divided into
five categories: alternative medical systems, energy therapies, manipulative and
body medicine, mind-body interventions, and biologically based treatments. Around the world, health care strategies are constantly being developed and researched to ensure that medical systems and treatments methods are up to date. Mind-body medicine using CAM is still being researched by the national center for health, but strategies such as guided imagery and energy fields therapy have shown promise in clinical trials.
What does CAM stand for?
CAM stands for complementary and alternative medicine. This form of treatment differs from modern medical systems and treatment practices by relying on unconventional methods to treat the mind-body and general health. These can range from acupuncture treatments, aromatherapy treatments, guided imagery sessions, mind-body medicine tests, and other methods that don’t seem to conform to normal health care practices. However, research has shown that these methods can be effective for some people and studies are still being done into just how far this field can go in terms of being beneficial.
Does acupuncture work?
Acupuncture is a Chinese medicine practice that has grown greatly in popularity over the last few decades. According to studies from the
National Institute of Health, acupuncture in conjunction with other forms of treatment can be effective at reducing symptoms of nausea, fatigue, energy loss, headaches cramps, addiction, and more. Acupuncture can be done with needles, heat, pressure, friction, cupping, and impulses of electromagnetic energy. While research is still needed to ensure that acupuncture indeed works as it should, data indicates that the various types of acupuncture can work nicely for a person living with different types of chronic pain or discomfort.
What are the five major domains of alternative medicine?
The
five main domains of alternative medicine are alternative medical systems, mind-body interventions, biologically-based treatments, manipulative and body-based methods, and energy therapies. Individual treatments can cover and cross multiple different categories due to how vast alternative medicine truly is. Alternative medical systems usually focus on healing practices from therapies such as naturopathic medicine or Ayurveda. Manipulative and body-based methods surround the movement of the body and adjust a person’s movement to bring about some type of result, such as using acupuncture. Energy therapies are done by therapists who place pressure on certain energy storage areas of the body to release energy with a therapeutic touch. Mind-body therapies tend to focus more on the influence of the mind over the body, and hypnotherapy is an example of this form of treatment. Finally, there are more natural methods such as fatty acids and vitamins that are known to have beneficial effects on those who take them. These biologically based methods are ingested and can have positive effects on mood, nausea, chronic pain, and even some symptoms of major disorders in some cases.
Further Reading About Therapy
