Complementary and Integrative Medicine – The What, Why, and How – Part 2
In Part 1 of this article, you learned the differences between allopathic, complementary, integrative, and alternative therapies. You learned that a significant proportion of children and adults, especially those living with chronic illness, use complementary and integrative therapies. You also learned that alternative therapy is not recommended as it is not evidence-based, while the other 3 forms of healing are evidence-based. In case you missed it, you can read the full article HERE.
In Part 2 here, you’ll get an overview of the many complementary and integrative healing modalities currently in practice. This is a general overview. For more specifics, keep checking back for upcoming articles and videos in our portal. Remember, always discuss with your medical and/or mental health provider before starting any complementary or integrative therapy, and only do so under the guidance of your personal physician.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, categorizes complementary therapies into 2 main groups – natural products and mind-body practices. A third category, whole medical systems, will also be discussed here.
Natural Products
Natural products include botanicals, dietary supplements, probiotics, vitamins, minerals, and special diets. It’s important to note that while natural products are found over the counter and do not require a prescription, these products are not regulated in the same way as pharmaceutical medications. That being said, they are not upheld to the same quality, safety, and efficacy standards as conventional allopathic medication and must be used with caution. Additionally, it’s important to note that some naturally-based products can interact with prescription medications increasing their risk for serious toxicity and adverse events. It’s important that you disclose your use of natural products to your physician, and that these products be checked for any possible interactions with your prescribed medications.
With regards to special diets, such as keto or elimination diets, these may at times be prescribed by allopathic medical specialists for treatment of specific conditions. Some of these diets may lead to micro and macronutrient deficiencies. If you’re following a special diet, it’s important that you discuss this with your medical provider who can monitor for any potential nutritional deficiencies.
Mind-Body Practices
There are a wide range of modalities that fit under this category, so I’ll further subdivide them here.
Manipulation
This includes osteopathic manipulation, chiropractic, and massage. Osteopathic manipulation is a process performed by doctors of osteopathy. Chiropractic manipulation is performed by chiropractors and primarily focuses on musculoskeletal issues. Massage is performed by licensed massage therapists and used for a variety of conditions.
Mind-Body Therapies
This is a large and broad category that includes yoga, mindfulness, meditation, tai chi, qi gong, hypnosis, guided imagery, biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation, journal writing, music therapy, acupuncture and biofield therapies. There is a growing body of literature and research supporting the use of mind-body therapies having a positive effect on a wide range of medical and mental health conditions with a low adverse risk profile.
Whole Medical Systems
These include whole medical systems that have evolved independently from Western allopathic medicine. These include Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and Naturopathy. These systems encompass an entire philosophy, approach to diagnosis, treatment, and practices of their own.
Access to complementary and integrative therapies
At this time, the majority of complementary and integrative therapies are not covered by insurance. Finding these services requires being an advocate for your own well-being and actively seeking out practitioners in these areas. Your physician may have a list of local practitioners in your area so you can start there. Another great place to start is to see if there is an Integrative Medical Center associated with an academic hospital in your local area. These are usually run by a growing number of allopathic medical physicians who are trained and board-certified in Integrative Medicine.
If you are local to the Hampton Roads area, please keep checking the Benjamin Goldberg Foundation and Peace Out Portal for our growing number of resources. Additionally, the Carrillo Kern Center for Integrative Therapies, https://sentarabrockcancercenter.com/carrillo-kern-center-for-integrative-therapies associated with Sentara Medical System, offers complementary and integrative services for patients and their caregivers.
Reference: Hilary McClafferty, Sunita Vohra, Michelle Bailey, Melanie Brown, Anna Esparham, Dana Gerstbacher, Brenda Golianu, Anna-Kaisa Niemi, Erica Sibinga, Joy Weydert, Ann Ming Yeh, SECTION ON INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE, Timothy Culbert, Melanie Gold; Pediatric Integrative Medicine. Pediatrics September 2017; 140 (3): e20171961