Complimentary and Alternative Medicine and Therapies

Question 1

The complimentary medicine most commonly used by Cancer patients in Europe is?

Answer 1

miseltoe

Question 2

CAM modalities with minimal potential for harmful interaction

Answer 2

Mind-body therapies
Sensory therapies
Body Therapies
Movement based therapies

Question 3

CAM modalities with potential for interaction with drug treatments

Answer 3

Dietary modifications
Food supplements
Herbal medicines
CAM systems

Question 4

CAM modalities with no interactions

Answer 4

movement based
yoga, TAI chi, qui gong, eurythmy

external energy
quantum touch, reiki, spiritual healing, qui gong

mind body
meditation

sensory
dance, art

Question 5

how should we ensure avoidance of harms with herbal remedies

Answer 5

Avoid herbs which cause severe toxicity/use cautiously

Use certain herbal medicines with caution
(e.g. anticholinergic side effects)

We regularly prescribe drugs e.g. antifungals, anticonvulsants, statins which can cause occasional severe toxicity e.g. kidney/liver – risk from herbs is probably lower

Take a herbal medicine & allergy history
Consider and report interactions

Question 6

CAM Systems – potential for interaction

Answer 6

Ayurveda (diet, herbs, colour, sound, massage, oils, steam, irrigation (colon, sinuses)

Chinese/Oriental Medicine (acupuncture/pressure, herbs, diet, Qigong, psychology)

Naturopathy (diet, herbs, homeopathy, lifestyle, bio-resonance, ozone, colon irrigation)

Anthroposophic Medicine (Diet, Herbs, Homeopathic/Natural Medicines, Lifestyle, personal/psychological/spiritual training/exercises, massage, movement, music, light, art and various other therapies)

Question 7

4 level of diagnosis for anthromedicine

Answer 7

Built upon the foundations of western medicine

Four level understanding

All levels can interact with each other

Both diagnosis and therapy based upon this model

Question 8

anthromed model for stress

Answer 8

Physical: increased heart rate, BP, resp rate, weight loss/gain

Vitality: impairment of sleep rhythm, resilience, heart rate variability, burst of energy/fatigue afterwards

Mental/Emotional:
Tense, irritable, social withdrawal, racing thoughts, loss of focus, unable to “switch off”

Individual: questioning of meaning, initial loss of sight of goals, values

Question 9

AnthroMedical Physical Therapy

Answer 9

Breathing exercises (Resonance training)
Physical activity
Dietary modification

Question 10

AnthroMedical Vitality Therapy

Answer 10

Attention to sleep rhythm
Exercises to improve HRV, rhyth
mild sedative - valerian

Question 11

AnthroMedical mental / emotional Therapy

Answer 11

Mental relaxation exercises, meditation
Mildly anxiolytic remedies
Taking practical steps: problem solving

Question 12

AnthroMedical individual Therapy

Answer 12

Exploration of meaning
Orienting towards meaningful goals
Align life with core values

Question 13

plant based diet benefits

Answer 13

Each 200 g/day increase in intake of fruit, vegetables (up to 800g, 600g cancer) reduces the risk of
coronary heart disease by 8–16% - up to 40% RRR
stroke by 13–18% - up to 29% RRR
cardiovascular disease by 8–13%
total cancer by 3–4%
all-cause mortality by 10–15%

Question 14

mediterranean diet benefits

Answer 14

reduction in CVD events
decreases risk of diabetes

Question 15

Cochrane reveiws in relation to depression, back pain and cancer

Answer 15

Hypericum (st. john’s wort) as effective as antidepressants
Fewer side-effects

Devil’s claw and white willow bark extracts as effective as Rofecoxib
Topical cayenne and lavender essential oil
(Paracetamol, by comparison is no better than placebo)

Reishi mushroom “could be administered as an alternative adjunct to conventional treatment in consideration of its potential of enhancing tumour response and stimulating host immunity”
Mistletoe (Viscum album) may improve QOL during chemotherapy for breast cancer patients as well reducing cytotoxicity and enhancing host immunity – blinded RCT currently running in Bristol

Question 16

vegan diet benefits

Answer 16

lowers BP, all-cause mortality, incidence of diverticular disease & gallstones

improve RA and fibromyalgia pain

aids weight loss

Question 17

excersize benefits

Answer 17

improves symptoms of depression
reduced anxiety in patients with chronic and physical health problems

reduces progression from prediabetes
symptom reduction in H and L disease
reduced risk cancer

Question 18

Evidence for Acupuncture

Answer 18

Fibromyalgia pain (and enhances effects of drugs and exercises)
Migraine frequency almost halved!
Back pain (more effective than pain relief in short term)
Labour pain (reduced need for drugs)

Question 19

Evidence for Chiropractic

Answer 19

Acute and subacute back pain
Neck pain (but risk of rare but serious adverse events)

Question 20

Evidence for Tai Qi and Yoga

Answer 20

Tai Qi for Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis
improves balance and improves physical functioning and pain
Yoga for back pain
improves back-related function
Yoga for Asthma
Improvement in QOL

Question 21

example

49-year-old lady with fibromyalgia – symptoms started 15 years earlier in mid-30s

PC - Pain, post-exertional fatigue, brain fog, some numbness and paraesthesia of right thigh. Hoarse voice associated with fatigue.

Treatments: co-codamol 8/500 2 tablets QDS, ibuprofen 400mg 1 tablet TDS, tramadol 50mg PRN 3-4 times daily amitriptyline 25mg nocte, mebeverine 135mg TDS and laxido (for IBS).

instead started on: mild herbal remedies (fragaria/vitis, neurodoron, digestodoron, solum oil)

Answer 21

Less muscle pain, improved energy levels. Able to plan ahead better and less anxious.

Bowels moving better with Digestodoron, and no hoarse voice for a while;

Encouraged to explore self-compassion. Added bryophyllum arg. cult. drops for relaxation at night and rosemary lotion mane to awaken her fully.

result;
off cocodamol, excersizing 5 days per week, fatigue less prolonged

11 months on no fibromyalgia syptomes