Choosing the Best Alternative Medicine

CAM, or complementary and alternative medicine, is a new type of medicine that is becoming popular in the United States. Most doctors in the US will use conventional treatments and care options to treat their patients. This is also the type of medicine that is taught in United States medical schools. CAM originates in Asia countries such as China and India. Doctors practicing CAM therapies will use natural substances to treat their patients. Some doctors practice integrative medicine which is a combination of conventional and alternative treatment options.The five different categories of CAM include biologically-based, whole medical systems, energy medicine, mind-body medicine and manipulative and body-based. The type of Alternative Medicine a doctor will use will depend on the condition being treated and the person receiving the treatment. Biologically-based therapies rely on organic materials such as herbs. Whole medical systems is a much more developed version of biologically-based therapies. Whole medical systems includes vitamins and proteins. Energy medicine involves energy fields such as light, sound and magnetic therapy. Mind-body medicine uses forms of exercise to heal the body. These types of exercise includes yoga and Ti-Chi. The last category, manipulative and body-based therapy, includes message.There are a few things to consider when choosing the best Alternative Medicine. One should understand the different types of CAM before they can begin to decide which type of therapy is best. Research the different types of CAM. Some types of medicine may look to be CAM but really aren’t. Do not believe the labels on medicine that claims to be natural. There may be additives to the medicine that are not natural. Look at different studies and the effects of CAM on the condition that will be treated. Interview doctors that are skilled in the type of CAM being considered. Also consider integrative medicine.Integrative medicine is a combination of alternative and conventional treatment options. It will allow a patient to use the best conventional medicine to treat their condition but they will still be able to try CAM. If there are many types of CAM or conventional medicine that will treat the condition, integrated medicine is a good approach