Complementary and Alternative Therapies/Pain Management Flashcards
Define complementary and alternative medicine.
an array of health care approaches with a history of use or origins outside of mainstream medicine.
What are complementary therapies?
(integrative therapies) therapies used in addition to or together with conventional treatment recommended by a person’s health care provider
What are some examples of complementary therapies?
therapeutic touch, guided imagery, massage, reflexology, prayer, hypnotherapy, creative therapies
How do alternative therapies differ and how are they the same as complementary therapies?
Alternative therapies become the primary treatment and replace conventional medical care but may include same interventions as complementary therapies.
What are alternative therapies?
Therapies based on (allopathic) conventional pathophysiology and anatomy while acknowledging the mind-body connection.
What are Whole Medical Systems?
Therapies based on completely different philosophies and life systems than those used by allopathic (conventional) medicine.
What types of therapy is included in Whole Medical Systems?
traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda (practiced in India), and Naturopathy
What is Integrative health care?
Health care that emphasizes the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, and informed by evidence.
relaxation response
the state of generalized decreased cognitive, physiological, and/or behavioral arousal
progressive relaxation
training that teaches a person how to effectively rest and reduce tension in the body.
passive relaxation
the process of calming the mind and body intentionally without the need to tighten and relax any particular body part.
What is a limitation of relaxation therapy?
increased sensitivity in detecting muscle tensions
Meditation
any activity that limits stimulus input by directing attention to a single unchanging or repetitive stimulus (person becomes more aware of self)
What is a benefit of mediation?
lowers O2 consumption
reduces RR and HR
reduces anxiety
lowers BP
What are some limitations of meditation?
- may become hypertensive
- may enhance effects of certain drugs
Imagery
a mind-body therapy that uses the conscious mind to create mental images to stimulate physical changes in the body, improve perceived well-being, and/or enhance self-awareness
What is a benefit of imagery?
pain control
What are the limitations of imagery?
none - very few side effects
Biofeedback
a mind-body technique that uses instruments to teach self-regulation and voluntary self-control over specific physiological responses. (immediate feedback is provided)
What is the intended purpose of acupuncture?
it regulates or realigns vital energy (qui), which flows through channels in the form of a system of pathways called meridians.