Complementary, Alternative and Integrative Medicine Paper Free

RUNNING HEAD:   COMPLEMENTARY, ALTERNATIVE AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE PAPER

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

      Many believe that the only way to cure or manage an illness or pain is by conventional medicine. However, on the other hand, there are many who believe that the best way to treat an illness or pain is through the healing powers of complementary and alternative medicine.   The following information will give a brief overview of complementary, alternative and integrative medicine. In addition, the following information will include factors that promoted to the popularity and use of complementary, alternative and integrative medicine, factors that are hindering the acceptance of CAM in the United States   and the current research knowledge and societal opinion toward complementary, alternative and integrative medicine,

      The terms alternative, complementary and unconventional are sometimes used interchangeably but there is a distinction between them (Keegan, 2001). One way to think of complementary, alternative and integrative medicine is to remember that individuals control their level of care when it comes to treating their bodies and that there are always alternatives other than conventional treatment and that alternative treatments can complement other treatments. Technically, according to Keegan (2001) complementary therapy refers to an alternative therapy that is used in conjunction with conventional therapy and alternative therapy, sometimes referred to as an unconventional therapy, pertains to a therapy that is used instead of conventional, orthodox or mainstream therapy. It’s not difficult to determine that integrative medicine could be considered a combination of both complementary and alternative medicine, as well as conventional medicine. However, it seems that in order for integrative medicine to be successful, all practitioners and or physicians must all agree upon the level of treatment for the individual. Basically, all...