What is Complementary Alternative Medicine?

http://www.medicinenet.com/alternative_medicine/article.htm

What is complementary medicine?

Complementary medicine is a group of diagnostic and therapeutic disciplines that are used together with conventional medicine. An example of a complementary therapy is using aromatherapy to help lessen a patient’s discomfort following surgery.

Complementary medicine is usually not taught or used in Western medical schools or hospitals. Complementary medicine includes a large number of practices and systems of health care that, for a variety of cultural, social, economic, or scientific reasons, have not been adopted by mainstream Western medicine.

Complementary medicine is different from alternative medicine. Whereas complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. An example of an alternative therapy is using a special diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a physician.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can include the following:

acupuncture,
Alexander technique,
aromatherapy,
Ayurveda (Ayurvedic medicine),
biofeedback,
chiropractic medicine,
diet therapy,
herbalism,
holistic nursing,
homeopathy,
hypnosis,
massage therapy,
meditation,
naturopathy,
nutritional therapy,
osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT),
Qi gong (internal and external Qiging),
reflexology,
Reiki,
spiritual healing,
Tai Chi,
traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and
yoga.

Complementary Alternative Medicine is used in cooperation with Western Medicine  and is not in opposition to Western Medicine, although many of the approaches focus on reducing the need for pain medications through alternative approaches such as stretching, acupuncture, trigger point therapy,  massage, and other therapies our treatments are intended to work with not against Western Medicine.

A good therapist will always tell a client to speak with their existing doctor if they have any medical concerns. I personally have referred some of my clients back to their doctors and encouraged many to see a doctor about their conditions. It is always best for both the client and the massage therapist to have a good understanding of the condition the client has and any contraindications that may alter the course of treatment for the client.

A massage therapist is not allowed to “diagnose” a client, so if we do see something of concern we may suggest that the client should talk to their doctor about it, we can tell them that many conditions present with similar symptoms and that it is always best to ask the doctor to be sure.

Situations in which I have refereed clients to a physician include:

A male client came in for a full body massage, when I got to his legs I noted pitting edema, redness, and heat rising from the area of his feet to his knees. I did not tell the client what I suspected was the cause, I explained to him that I cannot massage his legs due to the redness and swelling and that I felt he should consult a doctor because such symptoms could be a sign of something wrong.

I also advised one of my regular clients to get an ultrasound for a problem she was experiencing, and I am glad that I did, she is getting the medical treatment she needs now and I have seen great improvement in her over all health and well being.

I always make sure to note that I recommended the client see a doctor in my client notes along with a description of what I observed. We should always make careful notes when we observe anything that seems unusual, such as excessive bruising, and make note of our approach such as “I avoided contact with the area in question.”

If we see something that we feel needs to be addressed by a physician it is our responsibility to say something to the client. There have been cases of melanoma that would have gone unnoticed by the client if their massage therapist had not noticed it and voiced concern that the area should be looked at by a professional. We are in a unique position to see  areas of the body that even the client cannot adequately see and are often covered by clothing and could go unnoticed.

We sometimes see clients who are reluctant to visit their regular doctors, some even ask us questions about their condition and suggestions for things that may help them. It is not uncommon for us to advise them to use ice, or stretch the area, or give them some tips on how to manage conditions such as plantar fasciitis or frozen shoulder syndrome, that is well within our scope of practice.

What we do is often times more than simply massaging and stretching a body, our focus is on  the clients overall health and wellness, they trust in us, and we owe it to them to be honest with them if we believe they should see a doctor. The doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and osteopaths are not our competition, they are our allies in health and wellness.

If a client has or has had cancer it is always best to get a release from that doctor that states the client is able to receive massage therapy.