Use of therapies like massage, herbs, chiropractic, reiki, acupuncture, yoga and meditation, collectively termed complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), is prevalent throughout North America. New research shows more than 12 percent of Canadians visit a CAM practitioner within a given year, according to an abstract published on www.pubmed.gov.

The results also showed:

• 19.0 percent of those with migraine visited a CAM practitioner
• 15.1 percent of those with asthma visited a CAM practitioner
• 10.3 percent of those with epilepsy visited a CAM practitioner
• 8.0 percent of those with diabetes visited a CAM practitioner

"A large proportion of Canadians use CAM services," the researchers

noted. "Physicians should be aware that their patients may be accessing other services and should be prepared to ask and answer questions about the risks and benefits of CAM services in conjunction with standard medical care."

"Use of complementary and alternative medicine by those with a chronic disease and the general population–results of a national population based survey" was published by BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (2010 Oct 18;10(1):58.)

Related articles:
• Massage and Other CAM Therapies Reduce Pain in Hospital Patients

• Massage Therapy and Other CAM Therapies Provide "Remarkable Relief" of Back Pain

• What Drives African-Americans to Massage and Other CAM Therapies?

 

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