OUR MOTIVATION
As those in chronic
pain know, medication alone often is not enough
to the relieve pain. The tenacity of chronic
pain often leads people to areas outside of
conventional Western medicine. According to
a study in the Journal of the American Medical
Association, 40% of Americans and more than
two-thirds of the world population use complementary
or alternative therapies.1 Since 1990, Americans
have increased their use of such therapies
by 30% and paid $27 billion in out-of-pocket
expenses.2 The quality of research supporting
complementary and alternative approaches varies
from therapy to therapy. As with any treatment
approach, use of complementary therapies should
be discussed with your doctor.
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Healing requires a positive state of mind
as well as an empathetic group of professionals
prepared to listen to you and address your
needs.
In addition to traditional Western medical
treatments, such as pain management, the Bay
Meadows Center for Healing (BCH) offers complementary
medicines such as acupuncture, Chiropractic
and massage therapy. Combined with an array
of alternative medicines Bay Meadows was designed
to provide wellness solutions tailored to
meet both need medical need and life style.
What is the Difference
between Complementary and Alternative Medicine?
The terms "complementary medicine"
and "alternative medicine" often
are used interchangeably, but the two are
different. Complementary therapies are used
together with traditional Western medicine.
For example, you may take opioids to manage
your day-to-day pain and use guided imagery
to help manage a breakthrough pain episode.
Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional
medicine. Another example, using a special
diet to treat your arthritis instead of using
medications recommended by a physician is
using alternative medicine.
Complementary techniques to manage pain include
diet, exercise, biofeedback, massage, chiropractic
care, acupuncture, and self-regulation techniques
such as self-hypnosis, relaxation training,
yoga, reiki (a natural healing process using
the hands to tap a universal life energy)
and Jin Shin Jyutsu (a process to balance
the body's energies to bring optimal health
and well-being).
Practitioners of complementary medicine, such
as acupuncturists, chiropractors, and naturopaths,
often view health as a balance of physical,
emotional and spiritual factors. Complementary
treatment often attempts to restore that balance.
The most widely used complementary medicine
practices in the United States are acupuncture,
chiropractic, homeopathy, naturopathy, and
herbal medicine.
Complementary and alternative medicine may
offer you some different ways of dealing with
your pain. At the least, relaxation breathing,
guided imagery, and self-hypnosis may help
you take your mind off of your pain. Be sure
to check with your doctor before beginning
any complementary treatments or medications
to ensure you choose techniques and medications
that will not interfere with or have adverse
interactions with traditional medical techniques
and medications.
HOLISTIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS top
>
The National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) recommends that
you consider the following factors when choosing
a complementary or alternative medicine (CAM)
health care practitioner.
Speak with your primary health care provider
regarding the therapy in which you are interested.
Ask if he or she can recommend a CAM practitioner
or if they are willing to make a referral.
Ask basic questions about a CAM practitioner's
credentials and practice (e.g., Where were
they trained? How long have they been in
practice? What licenses or certifications
do they have? How much will the treatment
cost?).
Be sure to check with your insurer to see
if the cost of therapy will be covered.
For example, some insurers cover visits
to a chiropractor. If your insurance includes
any provisions for CAM, ask your insurer
for a list of CAM practitioners who accept
your insurance.
Meet with the practitioner and determine
if he or she is right for you (e.g., Did
you feel comfortable with the practitioner?
Did he or she answer your questions and
respond to you in a way that satisfied you?
Does the treatment plan seem reasonable
and acceptable to you?)
Contact a professional organization for
the type of practitioner you are seeking.
Often, professional organizations have standards
of practice, provide referrals to practitioners,
have publications explaining the therapy
that their members provide, and may offer
information on the type of training needed
and whether practitioners of a therapy must
be licensed or certified in your state.
CHOOSING PRACTITIONERS AND TECHNIQUES top
>
One of the most important decisions you can
make when deciding to pursue complementary
therapies is choosing a qualified and knowledgeable
practitioner to ensure you receive the best
care. Another vitally important aspect of
using complementary or alternative therapies
is to tell your physician. As much as 60%
of complementary therapy use is not disclosed
to physicians-it cannot be emphasized enough
that your health care providers need to know
what therapies, herbs, or other medications
you may be using or are considering using.4
Many herbal remedies interact adversely with
medications and some complementary therapies
may not be appropriate for your condition
(e.g., massage may not be comfortable for
people with rheumatoid arthritis)
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Research provided courtesy of:
The National Center for Complementary
and Alternative Medicine.
NCCAM Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 7923, Gaithersburg, MD 20898
info@nccam.nih.gov
http://nccam.nih.gov
credits
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