Complimentary and Alternative

Medicine Basics

August 7, 2014
WEEK ONE
Welcome to CAM Basics!
Any note-taking materials you
would like to use.
National Center for Complimentary
and Alternative Medicines
Backgrounder Whole Medical
Review: An Overview
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture
Chinese Materia Medica
Ayurvedic Medicine
Naturopathy
Homeopathy

Materials Other Resources
What is CAM?
Complimentary and Alternative Medicine
Wellness
More than the prevention of disease
Focus on inner resources
Balance of internal resources and external environment
Relies on individual abilities to get well and stay healthy
Self-Healing Energy
Skin heals when cut
Self-healing is all healing
Why do we get sick?
Disruption of internal balance cause illness
Symptoms are our bodies trying to heal

National Center for
Complimentary and Alternative
Medicine
BACKGROUNDER ~
WHOLE MEDICAL
SYSTEMS: AN
OVERVIEW
Whole Medical Systems: An Overview
Different cultures have different
medical systems
Eastern whole medical systems
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Ayurvedic Medicine
Western whole medical systems
Homeopathy
Naturopathy
Other Medical Systems
Native American
African
Middle Eastern
Tibetan
Central & South America
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Dates back to 200 B.C.
Yin Yang
Health is a balanced state
Disease is an imbalanced state
Practitioners
Herbs, acupuncture, & massage
Chinese Materia Medica or
acupuncture
Used alone
Used together
In combination with other modalities
Acupuncture
Widely practiced
Relieves and prevents pain
Used for various other health
conditions
Nausea/vomiting
Dental pain
Other pain disorders
Paralysis and numbness
Movement disorders
Depression
Insomnia
Breathlessness
Asthma
Cannot explain why it works
Electromagnetic signals
Chinese Materia Medica
What is Chinese Materia Medica?
Reference book
Herbs
Dozens of bioactive compounds
Many factors impact the
concentration
Standardization can be difficult
Adjusted to individual
Studies have taken place to discover
how effective herbs are and what
their effects may be.
Ayurvedic Medicine
The science of life
Natural healing system
Developed in India
Equal emphasis on body, mind,
and spirit
Strive for innate harmony
Treatments for various diseases
Clinical trials fall short
Western Whole Medical Systems
System of healing that views
disease as a manifestation of
alterations in the processes by
which the body naturally heals
itself
Health restoration
Disease treatment
Nature disease
AKA Naturopathic Medicine
Practiced throughout Europe,
Australia, New Zealand, Canada,
and U.S.
Six Principles
Complete system of medical
theory and practice
Founded by Samuel Christian
Hahnemann
Principle of similars
Treat patients using a drug that
mimics patients symptoms
All aspects of a health status need
to be examined
Emotional and mental states, and tiny
idiosyncratic characteristics
Naturopathy Homeopathy
References
Micozzi, M. (2011). Fundamentals of complementary and alternative
medicine. (4th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.
NCCAM. (2007). Whole medical systems: An overview.
Backgrounder.
Disclaimer: The statements made are for informational purposes only. Any information
used within this class is not to be used in place of a doctor. Please consult your doctor for
any questions regarding the information received in these classes.