| complementary therapies | treatments used in addition to conventional health care regimens recommended by a person's health care provider |
| alternative therapies | often include the same interventions as complementary therapies but frequently become the primary treatment modality that replaces allopathic medicine |
| allopathic medicine | traditional or conventional Western medicine |
| holistic nursing | addresses & treats the mind-body-spirit of the patient |
| herbal therapy | an alternative therapy that uses herbs to provide health benefits; began thousands of years ago |
| pharmaceuticals | drugs |
| chiropractic therapy | nontraditional therapy that includes manipulation of the musculoskeletal system; been in existence since the late 1800s |
| Qi | life force |
| meridians | channels of energy |
| acupuncture | a method of stimulating certain points (acupoints) on the body by the insertion of special needles to modify the perception of pain normalize physiologic functions |
| acupressure | entails the use of gentle pressure at similar points on the body |
| Reiki | energy field therapy, probably the most popular methods taught in the US; use the human energy field to interact with another person's energy field |
| therapeutic massage | massage performed by trained professionals to manipulate the soft tissues of the body & assist with healing |
| aromatherapy | entails the use of pure essential oils produced from plants, to provide health benefits |
| reflexology | is based on the premise that it is possible to exert an effect on the entire body by applying pressure to specific areas on the feet, hands, & ears with the thumbs |
| imagery | visualization techniques, the conscious mind is used to create mental images to evoke physical changes in the body, create a sense of improved well-being & enhance self-awareness |
| relaxation | is the state of a generalized decrease in cognitive, physiologic, or behavioral arousal |
| focusing | the ability to identify, differentiate, keep attention on, & return attention to simple stimuli for an extended period |
| passivity | the ability to stop unnecessary goal-directed & analytic activity |
| receptivity | the ability to tolerate & accept experiences that are sometimes uncertain, unfamiliar, or paradoxical |
| yoga | has emerged as a therapeutic treatment & now is being recognized by Western medical practice |
| Taiji | originally was developed as a martial art in 17th century China |
| biofeedback | is a noninvasive method that an individual can employ to learn control of the body to manage certain conditions |
| tetrahydrocannabinol | most well known cannabinoi; psychoactive & may cause euphoria, paranoia, drowsiness, & increased hunger |
| cannabidiol (CBD) | cannabinoids present at highly variable levels in marijuana; no psychoactive properties & inhibits the psychoactive properties of THC |
| cannabinoids | maybe used for a variety of psychological, neurologic, & inflammatory conditions |
| What does complementary therapies include? | exercise, massage, reflexology, prayer, biofeedback, creative therapies (art, music, or dance therapy), guided imagery, acupuncture, relaxation strategies, chiropractic therapy, therapeutic touch, & herbalism |
| Why may people turn to alternative therapies? | They believe them to be less invasive & gentler than allopathic or traditional medicine & perceive them to incorporate a more holistic approach |
| What is the strength of allopathic medicine? | its effectiveness in treating certain physical ailments (ex. bacterial infections, structural abnormalities, acute emergencies), focuses less on preventing disease, decreasing stress-induced illnesses, managing chronic disease, & caring for the emotional & spiritual needs of individuals |
| What are some holistic nursing interventions? | relaxation therapy, guided imagery, music therapy, simple touch, massage & prayer |
| Sold as foods or food supplements in health food stores & through private companies | herbal medicine |
| What is the goal of herbal therapy? | to restore balance within the individual by facilitating the person's self-healing capacity |
| If herbs are used incorrectly what can they become? | potentially toxic |
| Patients often do not disclose their use of herbs to their health care provider | because herb use is not widely accepted or understood by mainstream medical caregivers |
| Asian ginseng uses | improves overall health & well-being; atherosclerosis, bleeding disorders, colitis, diabetes, depressant cancer |
| Asian ginseng considerations | do not administer to pregnant or breast feeding patients, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, or concurrent therapy patients; patients taking anticoagulants should avoid use because it can prolong clotting. Also patients who are taking CNS stimulants, estrogen, furomeside, ibuprofen, caffeine, or drugs metabolized by CYP3H4; interacts with agents that inhibit monoamine oxidase |
| Aloe vera uses | burns, skin irritation; has laxative properties |
| Aloe vera considerations | internal use produces a cathartic action & has resulted in painful cramps, electrolyte imbalance, hemorrhagic diarrhea & kidney damage; drug interactions exist with antidysrhythmics, cardiac glycosides (ex. digoxin), anti diabetics, beta blockers, steroids, diuretics, & disulfiram. Herb Interactions exist with licorice |
| Cayenne uses | general cardiovascular health: reduces cholesterol level; topical application produces analgesia, controls bleeding |
| Cayenne considerations | Topical application as a counterirritant produces 'heat' sensation. Burning & pruritus diminish with continued use; drug interactions exist with ACE inhibitors, heparin, ASA, disulfiram, & theophylline. Herb interact actions exist with feverfew, garlic, ginger, & ginseng |
| Ginger uses | nausea, vomiting, motion sickness, appetite improvement, impotence, liver toxicity, burns |
| Ginger considerations | overdose possibly produces CNS depression & dysrhythmias, sometimes enhances the effect of anticoagulants. Pregnant patients should not take large doses because the teratogenic potential is largely unstudied. Drug interactions are possible with antacids, histamine H2 receptor blockers, proton pump inhibitors, anticoagulants, barbiturates, disulfiram & metronidazole |
| Ginko, maidenhair tree uses | improves memory, increases circulation to the extremities & the brain |
| Ginko, maidenhair tree considerations | produces arterial & venous vasoactive changes that increase tissue perfusion & cerebral blood flow; adverse reactions include dizziness, headache, subarachnoid & subdural hemorrhage, & cardiac insufficiency. Reports of seizures in children & bleeding complications. Potential drug interaction exist with antiplatelet therapy, anticoagulants, anticonvulsants, bupropion, tricyclic antidepressants, disulfiram, metronidazole & trazodone, Herb interactions include garlic |
| St. John's wort uses | mild to moderate depression, anxiety, viral infection, insomnia, premnstrual syndrome, topical myalgia, inflammation |
| St. John's wort considerations | Adverse reactions which are uncommon include photosensitivity, constipation, vertigo, dry mouth, restlessness, & sleep disturbance. Patients should not use with MAOis, alcoholic beverages, opioids, prescribes antidepressants, sympathomimetics, & food such as chocolate, aged cheeses, & beer. Do not give to pregnant or breast-feeding patients or children. Drug interactions include amiodarone, amitriptyline, chemotherapy drugs, digoxin, contraceptives |
| Herbal preparations | avoid using combination of herbs, using herbs & spices for at least 2 weeks before any surgery, using herbs during pregnancy & lactation or when attempting to become pregnant |
| Tinctures | are made by placing herbs in alcohol or vinegar & allowed to sit until the liquid absorbs the properties of the herb |
| What should a patient do before using any fresh herbs? | to obtain exact identification from a trained professional & know exactly what any herb is & what its actions are |
| Many herbs interact with | various medications |
| Ginseng is likely to interfere with ? | the actions of digoxin |
| Advise against taking St. John's wort with? | antidepressant medications |
| Doctors of chiropractic medicine undergo extensive training in? | manipulation of the musculoskeletal system |
| What disorders does chiropractic therapy treat? | back pain & headaches |
| What does the chiropractor do? | adjusts the joints of the body by gentle manipulation to put an area of disturbed structural integrity, usually the vertebrae, back in proper alignment |
| Contradictions to chiropractic therapy | acute myelopathy, fractures, dislocations, rheumatoid arthritis, & osteoporosis |
| Acupuncture & acupressure | therapies that are based on the belief that there is a form of energy |
| acupuncture & acupressure therapy involves | stimulating the channels at specific points to open them & allow the Qi to flow freely |
| Acupuncture is the primary treatment modality used by | health care providers of Chinese medicine |
| Acupuncture treats problems such as | low back pain, myofascial pain, simple & migraine headaches, sciatica, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, osteoarthritis, whiplash, & musculoskeletal sprains |
| Acupressure is primarily used for | prevention & relief of symptoms of muscle tension, it reduces tension, increases circulation, & enables the body to relax deeply; relieves stress, increases resistance to disease & promotes wellness & ability to rest or sleep |
| Rosemary use | internally: mental stimulant; alleviating stress, circulatory problems, externally: myalgia, neuralgia, pruritus, migraines |
| Rosemary considerations | promotes menstrual flow, do not give to pregnant patients, children or patients with seizure disorders; relieves headaches, liver & gallbladder complaints & blood pressure problems. May cause seizures. Asthma can develop, encourage patients to take precaution & use sunscreen |
| Therapeutic massage can be classified as | relaxing & other forms are energizing |
| Medical conditions that contradict massage | acute back pain, phlebitis, & thrombosis, pregnancy, infectious skin diseases |
| Who needs touch as much as or more than any other age group? | older adults |
| Aromatherapy is based on similar principles | specific scents are thought to relax or stimulate, improve digestion, increase hormone production, reduce nausea, & improve circulation or memory |
| Patients with asthma | sometimes develop exaggerated symptoms from certain aromatic essences |
| Manipulation of specific reflexes | removes stress, enabling the release of disharmonies by a physiologic change in the body |
| With stress removed & circulation improves | the body is allowed to return to a state of homeostasis |
| Lighter pressure should be used on corresponding reflex areas on people with? | cardiac problems, blood problems, high blood pressure, epilepsy & diabetes |
| Extreme caution should be used in performing reflexology patients with | diabetes who use artificial insulin |
| Overstimulation of the corresponding reflexes can cause what? | the pancreas to produce increased amounts of insulin, resulting in a decreased need of artificial insulin |
| Reflexology demonstrates the following four main benefits | relaxes the body & removes stress, enhances the circulation, assists the body in normalizing metabolism naturally, complements all other healing modalities |
| Magnet therapy contradicts in? | patients with metal devices such as defibrillators, pacemakers, cochlear implants, & insulin pumps |
| Many imagery techniques involve? | visual imagery, but they also sometimes include the auditory, proprioceptive, gustatory, & olfactory senses |
| Relaxation is also defined as | the act or process of arousal reduction |
| The relaxation response is characterized by | decreased heart & respiratory rates, blood pressure, & oxygen consumption & increased alpha-wave brain activity & peripheral skin temp |
| What is the long term goal of relaxation therapy? | for the person to continually monitor the self for indicators of tension & to consciously let go & release the tension contained in various body parts |
| Animal assisted therapy | involves the use of trained animals to enhance an individual's physical, emotional, & social well-being; improves self-esteem, reduces anxiety, & facilitates healing |
| The word yoga means | yoke or union of the personal self with divine source |
| What is yoga? | combination of breathing exercises, physical postures & meditation that has been practiced for more than 5000 years |
| The medical community no longer can ignore the efficacy of yoga's body-mind connection | because it increasingly verifies the importance of the integration of the whole person in healing disease |
| The regular practice of yoga offers? | the potential to tone the muscles that balance all parts of the body, including internal organs, heart, lungs, glands, & nerves; increase flexibility of the spine & helps treat chronic back problems |
| Taiji practice | emphasis is placed on relaxing the body & calming & focusing the mind |
| Taiji practice was intended to improve? | fundamental skills including balance, strength, flexibility, coordination, agility, reaction time, sensitivity or awareness & confidence |
| Health concerns managed by biofeedback | anxiety, stress, irritable bowel syndrome, & asthma |
| Advantages of biofeedback | increased awareness achieved by the patient about physiologic functions & influencing factors of these functions & the reduction of the stress response |
| Biofeedback is beneficial in the treatment of disorders such as? | migraine headaches, pain, & urinary tract & gastrointestinal tract disorders |
| Schedule 1 drugs are | drugs with no currently accepted medical use & have the highest potential for abuse |
| Cannabinoids are | compounds found in marijuana that attach to cannabinoid receptors in the body |
| What is THC used to treat? | nausea, pain, & weight loss in patients with cancer & HIV |
| cannabis ruderalis | may be used as an herbal treatment but is not used as a recreational drug |
| Schedule II drugs | have high potential for abuse but also have an accepted medical use |
| Marijuana | has abuse potential but also may be a less addictive form of pain management |
| What are complementary & alternative therapies used for? | to restore & maintain health |
| Herbs used for treatment are formulate in many ways such as | capsules, tablets, tinctures, teas, compresses, salves, or ointments |
| Some herbs interfere with? | actions of medications |
| What do energy field therapy reduce? | pain & increase relaxation |
| Energy field therapy do not require? | physical touch |
