By Antoinette Grajeda
There are several options for treating the varying ailments of the human body and one of those is complementary and alternative medicine. Sometimes referred to as CAM, this term refers to medical products and practices that are not part of standard care, meaning what medical doctors and allied health professionals practice, according to the National Library of Medicine.
These practices may not be considered mainstream, but in recent years, more patients have been adopting these methods. About 38 percent of adults and 12 percent of children use some form of CAM, according to a nationwide government survey released in December 2008. Examples of CAM therapies include biofeedback, chelation therapy, deep breathing and hypnosis. Some of the more well-known therapies include acupuncture, chiropractic and herbal medicines.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is among the oldest healing practices in the world and “aims to restore and maintain health through the stimulation of specific points of the body,” according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
The term acupuncture describes a group of procedures involving the stimulation of points on the body using a variety of techniques. The technique that’s been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or electrical stimulation.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the body is seen as a balance of two opposing and inseparable forces, yin and yang, and disease is caused by an imbalance of the two. This disparity leads to the blockage in the flow of qi (vital energy) along pathways called meridians. Using acupuncture allows the qi to become unblocked.
According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, an estimated 3.1 million adults and 150,000 children in the United States used acupuncture during the previous year. Between the 2002 and 2007 survey, acupuncture use among adults increased by approximately 1 million people. Although that number is increasing, licensed acupuncturist Pamela Bayers of Health & Harmony Oriental Medical Clinic in Fayetteville, said fear prevents some people from trying acupuncture.
“A lot of people are afraid of needles,” she said. “A lot of people are afraid and a lot of people think ‘well, if it was really that good, why wouldn’t our insurance company cover it?’”

Some insurance companies do cover this form of treatment and if enacted, The Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act would make acupuncture a benefit covered under both Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits program.
Acupuncture can be used to treat a variety of conditions like arthritis, back and neck pain, fibromyalgia, shoulder pain, gastrointestinal problems, infections, insomnia, anxiety, depression, skin problems, heart problems and chronic fatigue, Bayers said. This treatment can also help improve someone’s mental outlook.

“A lot of times people feel better and they get along with people better because their qi is more in harmony, their body’s more in harmony, so things work better,” she said. “So a lot of times people will walk out feeling less irritable; a lot of times they’re happier.”
Few complications from acupuncture have been reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but complications have resulted from inadequate sterilization of needles and improper delivery of treatments. When not implemented correctly, acupuncture can lead to infections and punctured organs.
Chiropractic

Chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the body’s structure (mainly the spine) and its functioning. U.S. practitioners are required to earn a doctor of chiropractic degree from properly accredited colleges. Several patients have chronic, pain-related health conditions and seek care primarily for back pain, neck pain and headache, according to the NCCAM.

Some procedures can be traced back to ancient times, but the modern version of the profession was founded in Davenport, Iowa, by Daniel David Palmer in 1895. Palmer was a self-taught healer who believed the body has a natural healing ability. He theorized that misalignments of the spine can interfere with the flow of energy needed to support health, so the key to health is to normalize the function of the nervous system, according to the NCCAM.

Like acupuncture, chiropractic is one of the more widely used CAM treatments in the U.S. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, more than 18 million adults and 2 million children received chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation during the previous year.
Side effects and risks depend on the type of treatment used. For example, consequences from chiropractic adjustments can include temporary headaches, tiredness or discomfort in the adjusted areas. The likelihood of serious complications, such as stroke, is low and related to the type of adjustment performed as well as the part of the body treated, according to the NCCAM.

If dietary supplements are part of a chiropractic treatment, they can interact with other medications so it’s important for patients to inform their chiropractor of any medicines and supplements they’re taking.