background preloader

Complementary Medicine

Facebook Twitter

Evidence-Based Medicine: Literature Reviews. Cancer Alternative Therapies. Reiki: An Introduction. On this page: Introduction Reiki is a complementary health approach in which practitioners place their hands lightly on or just above a person, with the goal of facilitating the person’s own healing response. There is a lack of high-quality research in this field. However, this fact sheet provides basic information about Reiki and suggests sources for additional information. Top Key Points Do not use Reiki to replace conventional care or to postpone seeing a health care provider about a health problem.Overall there is a lack of high-quality research on Reiki, and studies that have been done show conflicting results.Tell all your health care providers about any complementary health approaches you use.

Overview Reiki is based on an Eastern belief in an energy that supports the body’s innate or natural healing abilities. Use in the United States The Status of Reiki Research There has been limited clinical research (studies in people) on Reiki. Side Effects and Risks Training. Home Page | NCCAM. Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM) Spirituality in Cancer Care (PDQ®) Religious and spiritual values are important to patients coping with cancer. Studies have shown that religious and spiritual values are important to Americans. Most American adults say that they believe in God and that their religious beliefs affect how they live their lives. However, people have different ideas about life after death, belief in miracles, and other religious beliefs.

Such beliefs may be based on gender, education, and ethnic background. Many patients with cancer rely on spiritual or religious beliefs and practices to help them cope with their disease. Some studies show that doctors' support of spiritual well-being in very ill patients helps improve their quality of life. Spirituality and religion may have different meanings. The terms spirituality and religion are often used in place of each other, but for many people they have different meanings. Serious illness, such as cancer, may cause spiritual distress. The Science of Mind and Body Therapies. Yoga for Health. On this page: Yoga is a mind and body practice with historical origins in ancient Indian philosophy.

Like other meditative movement practices used for health purposes, various styles of yoga typically combine physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation. This fact sheet provides basic information about yoga, summarizes scientific research on effectiveness and safety, and suggests sources for additional information. Key Facts Recent studies in people with chronic low-back pain suggest that a carefully adapted set of yoga poses may help reduce pain and improve function (the ability to walk and move). About Yoga Yoga in its full form combines physical postures, breathing exercises, meditation, and a distinct philosophy. Side Effects and Risks Use of Yoga for Health in the United States Many people who practice yoga do so to maintain their health and well-being, improve physical fitness, relieve stress, and enhance quality of life. What the Science Says About Yoga.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is the term for medical products and practices that are not part of standard care. Standard care is what medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy, and allied health professionals, such as nurses and physical therapists, practice. Complementary medicine is used together with standard medical care. An example is using acupuncture to help with side effects of cancer treatment. Alternative medicine is used in place of standard medical care. An example is treating heart disease with chelation therapy (which seeks to remove excess metals from the blood) instead of using a standard approach. The claims that CAM treatment providers make can sound promising. To minimize the health risks of a CAM treatment Discuss it with your doctor. NIH: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Guidelines for Using Complementary and Alternative Methods. Therapeutic Touch. Other common name(s): energy field therapy, biofield therapy, TT Scientific/medical name(s): none Therapeutic Touch (TT) is a technique in which the hands are used to direct human energy for healing purposes.

There is usually no actual physical contact. Available scientific evidence does not support many of the claims made for TT, or that energy is balanced or transferred by the use of TT. The practice of Therapeutic Touch is based on the belief that problems in the patient's energy field that cause illness and pain can be identified and rebalanced by a healer. The clothed patient is normally lying down, but may also be sitting or standing. The second part of TT involves an assessment in which the therapist's hands are held about 2 to 6 inches above the patient's body. In the third step, the therapist conducts several passes over the body with his or her hands. Therapeutic Touch is somewhat like the practice of Reiki. Research funded by the U.S. Dietary Supplements: What Is Safe? ...Welcome to TGJPR... Cancer Alternative Therapies.

Herbal Medicine.