Complimentary and Alternative Medicine and Therapies Flashcards
The complimentary medicine most commonly used by Cancer patients in Europe is?
miseltoe
CAM modalities with minimal potential for harmful interaction
Mind-body therapies
Sensory therapies
Body Therapies
Movement based therapies
CAM modalities with potential for interaction with drug treatments
Dietary modifications
Food supplements
Herbal medicines
CAM systems
CAM modalities with no interactions
movement based
yoga, TAI chi, qui gong, eurythmy
external energy
quantum touch, reiki, spiritual healing, qui gong
mind body
meditation
sensory
dance, art
how should we ensure avoidance of harms with herbal remedies
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
CAM Systems – potential for interaction
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)
4 level of diagnosis for anthromedicine
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
anthromed model for stress
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
AnthroMedical Physical Therapy
Breathing exercises (Resonance training)
Physical activity
Dietary modification
AnthroMedical Vitality Therapy
Attention to sleep rhythm
Exercises to improve HRV, rhyth
mild sedative - valerian
AnthroMedical mental / emotional Therapy
Mental relaxation exercises, meditation
Mildly anxiolytic remedies
Taking practical steps: problem solving
AnthroMedical individual Therapy
Exploration of meaning
Orienting towards meaningful goals
Align life with core values
plant based diet benefits
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%
mediterranean diet benefits
reduction in CVD events
decreases risk of diabetes
Cochrane reveiws in relation to depression, back pain and cancer
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
vegan diet benefits
lowers BP, all-cause mortality, incidence of diverticular disease & gallstones
improve RA and fibromyalgia pain
aids weight loss
excersize benefits
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
Evidence for Acupuncture
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)
Evidence for Chiropractic
Acute and subacute back pain
Neck pain (but risk of rare but serious adverse events)
Evidence for Tai Qi and Yoga
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
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)
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
