Complimentary and Alternative Therapies

Complimentary and Alternative Therapies
Complimentary Therapies
Definition
Therapies used in addition to conventional treatment recommended by the person’s health care provider
As the name implies, it compliments the conventional treatments
Alternative Therapies
Definition
May include the same interventions as complementary therapies but frequently become the primary treatment modality that replaces Western Medicine

Types of Complimentary and Alternative Therapies

Biobehavioral therapies
Manual therapies
Traditional and ethnomedicine therapies
Herbal Therapies
Biobehavioral Therapies
Biobehavioral Therapies
Designed to each individuals
Includes ways to change behavior to:
Alter physical responses to stress
Improve symptoms like muscle tension and GI pain
Biobehavioral Therapies
Principles
The individual should be actively involved in the treatment
Individuals achieve better response if they practice the techniques daily
Individual commits to implementing and maintaining therapy
Biobehavioral Therapies
Types:
Relaxation therapies
Imagery
Biofeedback
Hypnotherapy
Meditation
Biobehavioral Therapies
Relaxation Therapy
Relaxation Therapy
Relaxation
State of generalized decreased cognitive, physiological and/or behavioral arousal
Arousal deduction
Relaxation response
Decreased cardiac and respiratory rate, blood pressure and oxygen consumption

Relaxation Therapy
Involves cognitive skills derived from relaxation training. These skills include:
Focusing
Ability to identify, differentiate, maintain attention to simple stimuli for extended period
Passivity
Ability to stop unnecessary analytic activity

Receptivity
Ability to tolerate and accept experiences that may be uncertain

Clinical Applications of Relaxation Therapy

Relaxation alone or in combination with deep breathing or imagery can reduce pain
Head ache
Post operative pain
Labor pain
Chronic low back pain
Clinical Applications of Relaxation Therapy
Can reduce cancer treatment-related nausea and vomiting
Can improve emotional well-being and immune function

Limitations of Relaxation Therapy
Loss of Control
Feeling like they are floating which then becomes relaxation-induced anxiety
Relaxed state has been found to potentiate effects of some medications, leading to toxic levels
Imagery
Imagery
Uses the conscious mind to create mental images to evoke physical changes in the body
Frequently combined with some form of relaxation technique
Can be self-directed or guided
Clinical Applications of Imagery
Imagery
Imagery has been used to visualize cancer cells being destroyed by the immune system
Control or relief of pain
Achieve calmness and serenity
Used in chronic treatment for asthma, hypertension and premenstrual syndrome
Limitations of Imagery
One of the least clearly defined interventions
Side effects can range from being highly structured to consisting of spontaneous daydreams by the individual
Biofeedback
Biofeedback
Group of therapeutic procedures that use electronic or electromechanical instruments to measure and provide information about a client’s neuromuscular and autonomic nervous system responses
Feedback is given in analog (binary), auditory and visual feedback signals

Clinical Applications of Biofeedback
Assists in the muscle rehabilitation of paralyzed patients
Patients get to know the amount of muscle tension generated when they attempt to contract the muscle
Also used in treating Raynaud’s disease
Information regarding the peripheral skin temperature

Limitations of Biofeedback
During Biofeedback and relaxation techniques, repressed emotions might be identified and clients may not cope with this
Not recommended for clients with bipolar and schizophrenia
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis
Defined as trancelike state of heightened susceptibility
Its purpose is to induce a hypnotic state during which posthypnotic suggestions are implanted

Hypnotherapy
3 Levels of Trance
Light Trance
Client’s eyes are closed; the person is deeply relaxed and accepts suggestions
2. Medium Trance
Physiological processes are decreased
There is partial sensitivity to pain with total cessation of allergic reaction
Hypnotherapy
3 Levels of Trance
Deep Trance
Total anesthesia can occur
Eyes are open and most posthypnotic suggestions are successful
Clinical Applications of Hypnotherapy
Clinical Applications of Hypnotherapy
Used to treat asthmatic patients, especially children
Used to reduce examination stress
Facilitates smoking cessation
Manage chronic pain
Relieves symptoms of fibromyalgia
Limitations of Hypnotherapy
The success is dependent on the ability of the client to be hypnotized
Clients may have negative expectations or fears regarding hypnosis
Some clients report numbness, tingling and itching sensation after hypnotherapy
Meditation
Meditation
Defined as any activity that limits stimulus by directing attention to a single unchanging or repetitive stimulus
Includes transcendental meditation, Chinese Tao, Yoga, Japanese Zen, Christian Prayer and Moslem Sufism
Meditation
Regardless of method or type, they all evoke a restful state, lower oxygen consumption, reduction in respiratory and cardiac rate and subjective report of reduced anxiety
Clinical Applications of Meditation
Clinical Applications of Meditation
Improves breathing pattern for asthmatics
Lowers blood pressure for hypertensive clients
Lowers blood sugar for diabetics
Improves sleep-onset insomnia
Reduces anxiety
Limitations of Meditation
Contraindicated for persons who has fear of losing control
Augments effect of certain medication
Antihypertensive medications
Thyroid-controlling medications
Anxiolytics
Anti-depressants
Manual Healing Therapies
Based on the theory that energy systems of the body needs to be balanced in an effort to enhance healing
A number of these therapies originated from Ancient Chinese healing disciplines
Manual Healing Therapies
Included are the ff:
Therapeutic touch
Chiropractic therapy
Therapeutic Touch
Contemporary manual healing therapy
A natural human potential that consists of placing the practitioner’s hands either on or close to the body of a person


Clinical Applications of Therapeutic Touch
Some earliest studies found that it was able to:
Increase hemoglobin
Effective in reducing anxiety levels of client’s with cardiovascular disease
Reduces headache pain and improving mood of bereaved adults
Helps in managing suicidal tendencies
Limitations of Therapeutic Touch
Contraindicated for client’s who:
Are physically abused
Have psychiatric problems
Premature infants and pregnant women (who are likely to be sensitive to energy changes)

Chiropractic Therapy
Developed in Iowa (1895)
Intervertebral manipulation that is characterized as specific, high-velocity, controlled forceful thrusts directed at certain joints
Use of forceful movement of a joint beyond its active limitation
Does not use drug intervention
Clinical Applications of Chiropractic Therapy
Vertebral subluxation
Headaches
Dysmenorrhea
Vertigo
Tinnitus
Increases activity of polymorphonuclear and monocytes
Limitations of Chiropractic Therapy
Bone Malignancy
Bone Infection
Fractures
Dislocations
Rheumatoid arthropaties
Traditional and Ethnomedicine Therapies
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Has its roots in Taoism
Based on the concept of Yin and Yang
Night and Day
Cold and Warm
Shady and Sunny
Yin represents inner organs of the body
Yang represents the outside parts
Traditional and Ethnomedicine Therapies
Acupuncture
Method of stimulating certain points (acupoints) on the body by inserting special needles to modify the perception of pain, normalize body function and treat or prevent diseases.
Used to regulate the flow of qi
Clinical Application of Acupuncture
Used for patients with:
Low back pain
Myofascial pain
Osteoarthritis
Sciatica
Shoulder pain
Perimenstrual symptoms
Limitations of Acupuncture
Infection from inadequately sterilized needles
Bleeding
Faintaing
Not recommended for:
Pregnant patients
Patients with HIV
Patients with bleeding tendencies
Herbal Therapies
Oldest medicine known to man
Used by developing countries due to economic reasons
Taken from plants, animals and minerals
Active ingredients are packed in capsules, syrups, elixirs, pills and tablets
The goal is to restore balance within the individual by facilitating the person’s self-healing ability.

Clinical Applications of Herbal Medicine
Some examples include:
St. John’s Wort
Mild antidepressant and mild sedative property
Clinical Applications of Herbal Medicine
2. Milk Thistle
Used to protect the liver by its anti-oxidant property

Limitations of Herbal Therapy
Contaminations such as pesticides and heavy metals incorporated with the herbs
Some herbs contain toxic products that can cause cancer
Comfrey which was used for wound healing properties are highly carcinogenic
Nursing Responsibilities
Complimentary and Alternative Therapies
Nursing Responsibilities
Nurses practicing complimentary and alternative therapies should be knowledgeable about the use of such methods
Nurses should be able to provide advices to clients regarding when to seek conventional therapy

Nursing Responsibilities
Nurses must be aware of their State Nurse Practice Acts with regard to complementary therapies