Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies
Specific Therapeutic Technique Paper With the growing popularity of complementary and alternative medicine certain therapies have become more common without the need of a practitioner 's hand. One of these common therapies is called aromatherapy. Aromatherapy combines the medicinal properties of plants with oil massages. Aromatherapy can be found in one of the five categories of therapies defined by the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and with the available knowledge it can provide a therapeutic experience.
CAM Categories The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has five categories of alternative therapies. The categories include biologically based practices, energy medicine, manipulative and body-based practices, mind-body medicine, and whole medical systems. Biologically based practices generally consist of natural components. NCCAM (2004) provides that biologically based practices includes, but is not limited to, botanicals, animal-derived extracts, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, prebiotics and probiotics, whole diets, and functional foods (para 1). A significant part of biologically based practices are dietary supplements. The dietary supplements contain at least one biologically based product to provide for a popular trend. Energy medicine is divided into two different types, veritable and putative energy. Veritable energies can be measured and putative energies have not been measured to date. Veritable energies use mechanical vibrations, electromagnetic forces, magnetism, light, and other electromagnetic spectrum rays. Each component of veritable energy use wavelengths and frequencies to treat consumers. Putative energies focus more on the concept that humans contain an energy, also known as life force. Putative energies are used in the Japanese Kampo system, Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and in a few other
CAM Categories The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has five categories of alternative therapies. The categories include biologically based practices, energy medicine, manipulative and body-based practices, mind-body medicine, and whole medical systems. Biologically based practices generally consist of natural components. NCCAM (2004) provides that biologically based practices includes, but is not limited to, botanicals, animal-derived extracts, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, prebiotics and probiotics, whole diets, and functional foods (para 1). A significant part of biologically based practices are dietary supplements. The dietary supplements contain at least one biologically based product to provide for a popular trend. Energy medicine is divided into two different types, veritable and putative energy. Veritable energies can be measured and putative energies have not been measured to date. Veritable energies use mechanical vibrations, electromagnetic forces, magnetism, light, and other electromagnetic spectrum rays. Each component of veritable energy use wavelengths and frequencies to treat consumers. Putative energies focus more on the concept that humans contain an energy, also known as life force. Putative energies are used in the Japanese Kampo system, Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and in a few other
References: Eisenberg, D., Davis, R., Ettner, S., Appel, S., Wilkey, S., Van Rompay, M., et al. (1998). Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990-1997: Results of a follow-up national survey. JAMA. 280:1569-75. November 11, 1998. Retrieved September 24, 2005 from http://www.journalclub.org/vol2/a68.html Ford-Martin, P. A., PhD (2001) "Aromatherapy." The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Second Edition. Jacqueline L. Longe, Editor. 5 vols. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2001. Retrieved September 25, 2005 from the Health and Wellness Resource Center database. NCCAM (2004). Manipulative and Body-Based Practices: An Overview. Publication No. D238 October 2004. Retrieved September 24, 2005 from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/backgrounds/manipulative.htm#2 Sifton, D.W. (2000) "Aromatherapy." The PDR Family Guide to Natural Medicines and Healing Therapies . David W. Sifton, Editor in chief. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics, 2000. Retrieved September 25, 2005 from the EBSCOhost database.