Alternative and Complementary Medicine Quiz

People often use these terms as if they are the same. But in fact they mean 2 different things. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) points out the difference. NCCIH notes that alternative medicine refers to medical treatments used in place of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine refers to treatments used along with conventional medicine.

Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners see the body as responsible for its own healing. They try to find the best methods to support the body in its self-healing. Docere is a main part of alternative and complementary medicine. It means doctor as teacher. Doctors see themselves as teachers. They instruct their patients in the ways of health and wellness and should also be examples themselves

Another principle of both of these kinds of medicine is prevention. This means doing all you can to keep yourself healthy and not get ill. This is a principle also used in conventional medicine. Some complementary and alternative medicine practitioners believe in different types of balance between forces or energies. The body needs to balance these forces or energies in order to heal. An example of this is acupuncture. Acupuncture is a type of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It uses very thin needles put into the skin at certain points on the body for a short period of time. These points run along "meridians" and correspond to different health concerns and conditions.

Homeopathy is based on the idea that "like cures like." A homeopathic remedy is a tiny amount of a substance that could cause harm in large amounts. The theory is that a small amount of it can trigger the body's natural healing process. This may promote health.

Naturopathic medicine focuses on the natural healing process of each person using a variety of approaches to support each patient. This might include lifestyle and nutritional advice, herbal and homeopathic medicine, acupuncture, body work and adjustments,and hydrotherapy. It also focuses on reducing toxic exposures and finding and treating nutrition deficiencies. Naturopathic healthcare providers also work with patients through counseling to create lasting and healthy behavioral changes, A naturopathic healthcare provider focuses on the person as a whole. They encourage people to take charge of their health, to follow a healthy lifestyle to prevent disease, and to combine the body's built-in pull toward health with the healing power of nature.

Ayurveda is a system of medicine that is centuries old. It focuses on treating the mind, body, and spirit as the way to promote health. Controlled breathing is just one part. Other parts of treatment can include diet, exercise, meditation, herbal medicine, and massage. Studies have been done in India on how well Ayurveda works. But not enough research has been done to prove that all aspects of this system of medicine helps every person. Ayurveda comes from the Sanskrit word ayus, which means life, and veda, which means knowledge. So Ayurveda means the knowledge of life.

TCM believes that the body has two opposite and balancing forces. Yin is the cold, slow and passive force. Yang is the hot, fast and active force. Illness occurs when these two forces are out of balance and when qi (chi) or life energy is blocked. TCM uses several types of treatments. These include acupuncture, heat, herbs, massage, and body movement. TCM also encourages changes of certain habits or lifestyle in order to better balance the yin and yang. For example, diet may be changed to encourage warming, fully cooked and nourishing foods if a person has too much yin from a certain type of illness or symptom. Parts of TCM such as acupuncture and massage are safe and work well in some cases and for some health conditions. But research hasn't proved that all aspects of TCM work well for every person.

Artemisia annua contains the chemical artemisinin. Researchers used this chemical to make medicines to treat malaria.

St. John's wort has been promoted as a treatment for depression. The NCCIH says that studies have had mixed results on how well the herb works for this.

A dietary supplement should be seen as a form of medicine. Any form of medicine can cause problems with other medicines. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines. For example, gingko can boost the action of blood-thinner medicines (anticoagulants). This may cause too much bleeding. Other supplements have been shown to interfere with medicines. These include St. John's wort, garlic, glucosamine, ginseng, saw palmetto, and valerian.

Water-soluble vitamins aren't stored in the body the way fat-soluble vitamins are. But they can still cause problems while they are being digested. High doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. High doses of vitamin B-6 can cause nerve damage. Talk with your healthcare provider before taking any supplement, even a multivitamin.