More than 37 percent of the U.S. population now uses alternative medicine for therapeutic or preventative health care, according to a Thomson Medstat consumer healthcare survey of 23,000 adults. Alternative medicine practices include: Acupuncture, massage therapy, homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, and herbal medicine.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) emphasizes a holistic approach to understanding disease processes and focuses on prevention as well as treatment of illness. The primary reasons for CAM use are general wellness, treatment of an illness, supplementation of conventional care, and illness prevention. Integration of allopathic and CAM practices positively impacts patient quality of care.

As acupuncture, massage and other CAM modalities become increasingly integrated into health care, opportunities for natural medicine hospital programs are developing, expanding patient access to holistic treatment options.

CAM therapies are often practiced in allopathic hospitals in conjunction with conventional medicine. Complementary and alternative therapies are often more effective than conventional health care in the treatment of chronic conditions including: Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, arthritis, sciatica, sinusitis, and digestive disorders, among others. CAM therapies also speed recovery from surgery or illness.

CAM programs provide a means for hospitals to distinguish themselves from other hospitals which only offer conventional therapies, while providing patients with additional health care options. Nearly 27 percent of hospitals offer CAM therapies. CAM therapies offered in hospitals may include: Acupuncture, massage, herbal medicine, homeopathy, and naturopathy.

One in four hospitals now offer complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) services to patients, according to a recent survey by Health Forum, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association. Patient demand is the primary reason for offering CAM programs; however, hospitals also cited clinical effectiveness and the fact that CAM services reflect the hospital´s intent to treat patients holistically.

CAM practitioners treat and manage cases ranging from upper respiratory tract infections and allergies to headaches, orthopedic and other medical conditions. As hospitals increase CAM programs, patients who choose to integrate CAM therapies into their health care consistently rate their experiences more positively than patients receiving only traditional allopathic health care. Complementary and alternative medicine users often utilize CAM because they believe that CAM combined with conventional medical therapies is more effective in the treatment of their health care condition.

As the medical community increasingly recognizes its benefits, and as more insurance companies begin to include it in their plans, CAM programs will become a more common component of health and wellness practice.

For information about Acupuncture & Massage College´s Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs call Joe Calareso, Admissions Director, at (305) 595-9500.