Week 7 Therapies Flashcards
Complementary and integrative approaches
an array of healthcare approaches with a history of use or origins outside of mainstream or conventional medicine
- from NIH, very U.S. centric
Eastern and Western Medicine
united states centric
Complementary therapies
therapies used together with conventional treatment recommended by a person’s HCP
Integrative therapies
interventions used in complementary fashion
- particularly by licensed HCP
Use of C, I, and A therapies
- address stress induced illness
- manage symptoms of chronic disease
- address emotional and spiritual needs of pt
- improve quality of life and general well-being
Alternative therapies
non-pharmacological therapies used in place of conventional pharmacological interventions or other medical procedures
- such as exercise, chiropractic, herbal supplements,
Nursing-accessible therapies
general in nature and use natural processes = breathing, thinking, presence, movement
- make sure to use clinical judgement to decide if these are best
Relaxation therapies
reduces generalized cognitive, physiological, and/or behavioral arousal
- occurs through techniques that incorporate a repetitive mental focus and the adoption of a calm, peaceful attitude
Stress response
normal and helpful in short-term situations
Progressive relaxation
the person learns to detect subtle localized muscle tension sequentially, one muscle group at a time and differentiates among tension and relaxation
Passive relaxation
still the mind and body intentionally without the need to tighten and relax any body part
- good for people who may not have the energy for progressive relaxation
Clinical applications of relaxation therapy
lower blood pressure
decrease HR
decrease muscle tension
improve well-being
reduce symptom distress
Limitations of relaxation therapy
- reports of increased sensitivity in detecting muscle tension
- new symptoms may indicate progression of an existing condition or a new illness
- assess the client = physiological and psychological status
Meditation
Any activity that limits stimulus input by focusing attention to a single unchanging stimulus
- has roots in hinduism, buddhism, and taoism
- general term for a range of practices that relax the body and still the mind
Clinical applications of meditation
lowers oxygen consumption
reduces respiratory rate
reduces HR
improves feelings of well-being and anxiety
Limitations of Meditation
assess the client
- strong fear of losing control, contraindication
- some individuals also become hypertensive during meditation
- meditation may also increase the effects of certain drugs
Imagery/Visualization
Uses the conscious mind to create mental images to stimulate physical changes in the body, improve perceived well-being, and/or enhance self awareness
Creative Visualization
self-directed imagery that is based on the principle of mind-body connectivity
Clinical applications of imagery
control/relieve pain
reduces stress-related symptoms
improves sleep
can relieve symptoms associated with chronic conditions
Limitations of Imagery
Assess the client!
Clients with COPD or asthma may experience increased airway constriction
Training-specific therapies
complementary treatments that can only be administered by trained professionals
- require more certification
- all therapies carry some risk, therefore you need advanced knowledge to effectively talk about them with pts and provide education about their safe use
Biofeedback
mind-body technique
- uses instruments to teach control over physiological responses
- measure, process, and provide information about muscle tensions, cardiac activity, respiratory rates, brain-wave patterns, and autonomic nervous system activity
- uses variety of breathing, relaxation, and imaging exercises to gain voluntary control over HR or BP
Clinical applications of biofeedback
- reduce headache pain
- shown benefit as adjunctive therapy for post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence
- improve fecal incontinence
- stroke recovery
Limitations of biofeedback
assess the client!
- use with precaution in clients with psychological or neurological conditions
- may need medication adjustments as a result of biofeedback
Acupuncture
regulates or realigns the vital energy (qi), which flows through the body in channels that form a system of pathways called meridians
- can modify our body’s response to pain
Clinical applications of acupuncture
- modifies pain response and processing of pain by central neural pathways
- chemo induced nausea and vomiting
- low back pain
- myofascial pain
- tension HAs
- migraine prevention
- post-operative pain
Limitations of acupuncture
- practitioner with appropriate training
- sterilized needles
- contraindicated in clients with bleeding disorders or skin infections
- pregnant, seizures, or bloodborne illnesses = not suggested
- electroacupuncture = no pacemakers or dysrhythmias
Therapeutic touch
affects energy fields with conscious intent to help or heal
- uses the energy of the provider to positively influence the pt’s energy field
- other types = acupressure, healing touch, reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu
Clinical applications of therapeutic touch
Pain
Dementia
Trauma
Anxiety
Limitations of therapeutic touch
Assess your pt
Inappropriate for clients with sensitivity to touch, past traumatic experiences
Chiropractic Care
uses manipulative body-based therapy to normalize the relationship between structure and function
- belief is that body structure/spine and body function are closely related
- aims to restore structural and functional imbalances
Clinical applications of chiropractic care
Improves pain = back pain, osteoarthritis joint pain, cancer pain
can improve disability
asthma in children and adolescents
Limitations of chiropractic care
Contraindicated in those with bone and joint infections, acute injury to the spinal cord that’s caused by compression, fractures, dislocations, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis
Natural products
chemical compound or substance produced by a living organism
Herbal medicines
- also known as botanicals
- dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals, mycotherapies (fungi-based products), essential oils (aromatherapy), and probiotics
- not regulated by FDA
- not approved for use as drugs
- they are over the counter dietary supplements (1994 act) - can’t make health claims on their labels
Clinical applications of herbal medicines
Depressive symptoms
Anti-inflammatory effects
Blood sugar changes
Limitations of herbal medicines
Natural DOES NOT EQUAL safe
- can interact with prescribed medications
Integrative nursing role
- work closely with pt’s to know their spiritual and cultural viewpoints
- determine which therapies are more aligned with their beliefs
- knowledge can help to provide accurate info to pts and other HCPs
- understand the benefits and risks so information is clearly disclosed
- understand your state Nurse Practice Act and practice within the scope of that
Holistic Nursing
Holistic nursing treats the mind-body-spirit of a patient, using interventions such as relaxation therapy, music therapy, touch therapies, and guided imagery
