Terminology
Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Whole Medical Systems
Botanicals used for Biologically based practices
The Safety of CAM
100

Medical products and practices that are not part of standard medical care.

What is Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)

100

Focused breathing or repetition of words or phrases to quiet the mind and lessen stressful thoughts and feelings.

What is meditation?

100

Healing systems and beliefs that have evolved over time in different cultures and parts of the world.

What are Whole Medical Systems?

100

Nutrients that body needs in small amounts to function and stay healthy

What are vitamins?

100

Acupuncture, yoga and medication.

What are CAM therapies that have undergone careful evaluation and have been founds to be generally safe and effective?

200

System in which health professionals treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery.

What is conventional medicine.

200

A trance-like state in which a person becomes more aware and focused on certain feelings, thoughts, images, sensations or behaviors leaving a person to feel more calm and open to suggestion.

What is hypnosis?

200

A whole medical system that avoids drugs and surgery based on the use of natural agents such as air, water, light, heat and massage to help the body heal itself.  It may also use herbal products, nutrition, acupuncture and aromatherapy.

What is naturopathic medicine?

200

Products added to the diet to supplement vitamins, minerals and herbs.

what are dietary supplements?

200

Herbal supplement used for depression that may interfere with certain cancer drugs.

What is St. John's wort?

300

The patient learns how to control certain body functions that are normally out of one's awareness (such as heart rate and blood pressure)

What is biofeedback?

300

An approach to medical care that combines conventional medicine with CAM practices that have shown through science to be safe and effective.

What is integrative medicine?

300

Based on the belief that Qi (the body's vital energy) flows along meridians (channels) in the body.  It aims to restore the body's balance between two forces called yin and yang.

What is Traditional Chinese medicine?

300

Plants, or parts of plants, used to assist with symptom management.

What are botanicals?

300

Herbal supplement used to help with stress and anxiety that may cause liver damage.

What is Kava Kava?

400

Based on the belief that a vital energy flows through the body.

What is Energy healing?

400

Moving hands over energy fields of the body or gently touching a person's body.

What is therapeutic touch?

400

A system from India in which the goal is to cleanse the body and restore balance to the body, mind and spirit.

What is Ayurvedic medicine?

400

Botanical used to decrease nausea symptoms.

What is Cannabis?

400

This alone cannot control cancer.

What is diet?

500

A type of massage in which pressure is applied to specific points on the feet or hands, which are believed to match up with certain parts of the body.

What is reflexology?

500

Placing hands lightly on or just above the person with the goal of guiding energy to help a person's own healing response.

What is Reiki?

500

This whole medical system uses diet, herbal medicines, exerecise, meditation, brathing, physical therapy and other methods to cleanse the body and restore balance to the body, mind, and spirit.

What is Ayurvedic medicine?

500

Botanical used to manage pain symptoms?

What is turmeric or cannabis?

500

Who you should talk to before using Complementary Alternative Medicines?

Who is your doctor?