Patient education: Complementary and alternative medicine (The Basics)

What is alternative medicine? — Alternative medicine is any treatment or technique that is supposed to help with health but is not part of "mainstream" medicine. Technically, alternative medicines are used instead of traditional medical treatments.

What is complementary medicine? — People sometimes refer to alternative medicine as "complementary medicine." But they are not exactly the same. In complementary medicine, non-traditional treatments are used along with "regular" medical treatments for illness.

"Integrative medicine" is the practice of complementary medicine that is based on evidence.

The term "holistic care" refers to considering the whole person, including their spiritual and emotional state, when treating a health problem.

What are some examples of alternative and complementary medicine? — There are many different treatments that are offered in alternative, complementary, and integrative medicine. But not all of these treatments have evidence to support their use in treating illness. And some of them can even cause harm.

Some examples of specific treatments include:

●Acupuncture – People having acupuncture have thin needles inserted into their skin in different places. The needles do not hurt, or they hurt very little.

●Herbal remedies – Herbal remedies are usually pills or liquids that contain substances found in plants. Even though herbal remedies are "natural," they are not always safe. Plants sometimes have chemicals that can hurt the body or cause problems when used along with regular medicines.

●Dietary supplements – Dietary supplements contain vitamins, minerals, and other substances the body might need to improve function or lower the risk of disease. But it is usually best to get these substances from a variety of healthy foods rather than from supplements. In some cases, doctors might prescribe supplements, for example, calcium and vitamin D to help keep bones strong. Or they might prescribe other vitamins or supplements if you cannot get enough from foods.

●Homeopathy – This involves trying to treat illness using tiny amounts of substances that, in some cases, might actually be bad for you in larger amounts. This includes certain plants and minerals. People who practice homeopathy "dilute" the substance by mixing it with lots of water and shaking it. They believe that the same substance that causes symptoms or illness could be used as a treatment when prepared in this way.

●Mind-body techniques – Examples of mind-body techniques include hypnosis, meditation, and guided imagery. These techniques are supposed to calm you and help you change the way you think about your symptoms.

●Massage therapy – During massage therapy, the person giving the massage rubs, kneads, and presses on your body.

●Reiki and other "energy therapies" – People who believe in energy therapies such as Reiki think that energy flows throughout the body. During Reiki treatment, the person giving the treatment "directs" energy toward you.

●Special diets – People with cancer and other health problems sometimes hear that their condition could improve if they ate a special diet. These diets might contain no meat, or require people to take special supplements.

Is it safe to use alternative or complementary medicine? — Many forms of alternative and complementary medicine are safe. And some can be helpful. For example, massage or meditation might help a person feel more relaxed, which can help them manage their illness or condition more easily.

Still, it's important to be cautious, especially if you are trying things like supplements or herbal treatments. In most countries, including the US, these products are not regulated by government agencies the way standard medicines are. In some cases, they have been found to contain prescription medicines or other ingredients not listed on the label that can cause harm. They can also be expensive. Be careful about any product that claims to be a "miracle pill," or says it cures cancer or another serious disease.

Many herbs and supplements, especially products with a lot of different ingredients, have not been studied well enough to understand how they work or whether they are helpful for most people. If you want to try using an herb or supplement, talk with your pharmacist about how to choose a reliable product. They can help you find products that have been independently tested and do not contain ingredients that could be unsafe.

If you are thinking about using any alternative treatment, talk with your doctor or nurse. They can tell you if there are known risks involved with the treatment, and can help guide you to make safe choices.

It is important to talk with your doctor or nurse, because:

●Some herbal medicines, such as the herbal antidepressant Saint John's Wort, can interact with prescription medicines and keep them from working. Some can also cause side effects.

●Some herbal medicines are toxic and dangerous. For example, kava kava (which people take for anxiety) can damage the liver and might not be safe.

●Some special diets can cause people to lose weight very quickly or have vitamin deficiencies (low levels of certain vitamins). This can cause health problems. Plus, special diets can be very expensive even though they might not help people get better.

Where can I find reliable information about herbs and supplements? — In addition to talking with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist, the following websites might be helpful:

●MedLine Plus Dietary Supplements: https://medlineplus.gov/dietarysupplements.html

●National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: http://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/herbsataglance.htm

●Dietary Supplement Label Database (for products sold in the US): https://dsld.od.nih.gov/

●Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (herbs and other products): https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/herbs

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has consumer information about dietary supplements: https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-supplements/information-consumers-using-dietary-supplements. Your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist might suggest other resources, too.