conventional physicians recommend, and a quarter
use alternative therapies on their own because they
believe conventional medicine will not help their
conditions. Nearly 12 million Americans seek relief
from BACK PAINalone through alternative and com-
plementary therapies (excluding prayer). Other
common uses of alternative and complementary
therapies (excluding prayer) include arthritis and
JOINT PAIN, chronicHEADACHE, FIBROMYALGIA, anxiety
and DEPRESSION, chronic gastrointestinal conditions,
hypertension, and MENOPAUSEdiscomfort. Many
people use alternative and complementary thera-
pies to provide relief during cancer treatment and
from cancer symptoms.
NCCAM/NCHS 2002 SURVEY’S TOP 10Alternative/Complementary Percentage of
Practice Americans Who Use
prayer specifically for one’s own
health 43.0 percent
prayer by others for one’s
health 24.4 percent
natural products 18.9 percent
deep BREATHING EXERCISES 11.6 percent
participation in prayer group for
one’s own health 9.6 percent
MEDITATION 7.6 percent
CHIROPRACTICcare 7.5 percent
YOGA 5.1 percent
massage 5.0 percent
diet-based therapies 3.5 percent
Source: Barnes, P; Powell-Griner, E; McFann, K; and Nahin, R.CDC
Advance Data Report #343. Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Use Among Adults: United States, 2002.May 27, 2004.
“First, Do No Harm”
Alternative and complementary approaches often
draw people to try them on their own, without
consulting their conventional doctors. People may
be curious about certain methods, frustrated or
disappointed with the results of conventional
treatments, or have limited access to conventional
health care. In choosing from alternative and
complementary therapies, it is prudent to learn as
much as possible about the method so as to “first,
do no harm” as the time-honored medical dictum
cautions. And, when possible, seek the advice of a
conventional doctor to gain perspective to what
often is confusing or conflicting information.
Though it is seldom harmful to drink GREEN TEA,
do yoga, or have REIKI, some alternative and com-
plementary methods may be hazardous as may be
some conventional methods—for people who
have certain health conditions. For example, peo-
ple who have RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS or other
degenerative musculoskeletal disorders may risk
serious injury with craniosacral therapy, OSTEO-
PATHIC MANIPULATIVE TREATMENT(OMT), or chiroprac-
tic manipulation. NUTRITIONAL THERAPYmay alter
medication needs for people who have DIABETES,
MALABSORPTIONdisorders, or conditions affecting
the LIVERorKIDNEYS. It is important to choose the
most reliable and credible methods and practition-
ers, and to coordinate care among all the
providers involved in its delivery, conventional
and complementary.Using alternative and complementary
approaches in coordination with con-
ventional treatments may alleviate
some symptoms but cannot effectively
substitute for conventional medical
care for many health conditions ranging
from HYPOTHYROIDISMto CANCER.For people who are undergoing conventional
medical treatment such as CHEMOTHERAPYor RADIA-
TION THERAPY, it is worthy to ask doctors what to
eat, how and when to exercise, and what mea-
sures can support health; the environment of the
body changes dramatically during such therapies,
and sometimes approaches that are supportive
and complementary to the conventional treatment
can lessen the harshness of the experience. For
many circumstances, however, available informa-
tion fails to provide clear answers and it becomes
a matter of trusting the doctor and making com-
mon sense decisions.Science Meets Tradition: Evidence and Standards
Scientific evidence is scarce for many alternative
and complementary therapies. Many therapies
have evolved over centuries of use and produce
reliable results even though contemporary clinical
science cannot yet explain the mechanisms of the
method. Acupuncture, for example, has been an
integral component of TCM, as well as other heal-
ing systems, for several thousand years. AtAlternative and Complementary Approaches 53