Looking into Complementary & Alternative Medicine

Modern physicians diagnose and treat diseases (abnormalities in the structure and function of the body organs and systems), whereas clients suffer illnesses. (Experiences of undesirable changes in states of being and in social function; the human experience of sickness). Pain is the essential experience of illness because it defies all the diagnostic tests of modern medicine, yet it produces its ravages of disability and dysfunction (pg 13). Complementary and Alternative medicine allows other physicians to treat more then just the disease. From a complementary point of view, no illness is purely physical. Rather, suffering manifests in multiple dimensions: physical, emotional, social, or spiritual. What is of concern is how suffering becomes physicalized. How does suffering result in body symptoms, some of which are so severe as to be associated with changes in tissue structure and function (pg 13,14)?

Take, for example, cancer. How does cancer begin? We know that immune deficiency is important. Abnormal cells are continually appearing, but our body possesses the wisdom to eliminate them. What happens to allow a (nidus) of such cells to take hold? We know that emotions contribute to cancer. Depression suppresses immunity and leads to decreased cellular function. We know that watching a tragic movie suppresses immune parameters in the laboratory. We know that poor nutrition interferes with immune function. We know that some families carry genes that make them easier targets for cancer. What then sparks the flame that establishes the cancer (pg 14)? Many things in the environment could spark the weaken immune system. Cancer can then invade the human body.

This is just one of the examples that lets physicians that study CAM can really see the effects of emotional, and spiritual being of a person and how it deals with being sick. Treatments such as massage, acupuncture and even herb remedies can be helpful for people who want to use CAM.


CAM= Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Nidus= anything that resembles a nest in appearance and function.



photo by : http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/images/300/massage_stomach.jpg



Work Cited

1. Encyclopedia of Complementary Health Practice. New York: Springer Publishing Company. 1999.