Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Question 1

What is the Integrative Medical Care Movement?

Answer 1

It is a movement that seeks to combine the best evidence in both CAM and Western Medicine for the delivery of optimal care.

Question 2

What is CAM based on?

Answer 2

Tradition and belief

Question 3

What are the domains of CAM?

Answer 3

It is a classification system, CAM is divided into five groups:
Whole Medical Systems
Mind-Body Medicine
Biologically Based Practices
Manipulative and Body-Based Practices
Energy Medicine

Question 4

How many Canadians use CAM?

Answer 4

20% of Canadians visit CAM provider

73% used natural health poducts.

Question 5

Why do we regulate health professions?

Answer 5

To make sure there is baseline level of education and training…
To protect the public (from potential harm)

Question 6

Why is CAM regulation important to pharmacists and Western Medicine?

Answer 6

It is true that we will be more comfortable if we know exactly what they offer. The information is transparent and understandable!

Question 7

What is Naturopathy?

Answer 7

It is a type of primary care which promotes wellness and prevention of illness or disease. The purpose is to identify the root cause of the illness and support the body’s own healing ability.

Question 8

How does naturopathy promote the body’s own healing process?

Answer 8

By using: acupuncture/Asian medicine, Botanical Medicine, Physical Medicine, Clinical Nutrition, Homeopathic Medicine and Lifestyle counselling.

Question 9

What are the principles of Naturopathic Medicine?

Answer 9

Do no harm (minimize harmful side effects).
Treat illness by removing underlying causes of illness.
Encourage individual responsibility for health through teaching healthy living.
Heal the whole person through individualize treatment.
Emphasize prevention
Support healing power of own body.

Question 10

What are the four key differences between a ND and MD?

Answer 10

Emphasis on prevention
Treatment of cause of disease
Individualized treatment
Remove obstacles to body’s innate healing process

Question 11

What are commonly treated ailments by Naturopathy?

Answer 11

Digestive complaints
Stress Management
Respiratory complaints: allergies/asthma, cold and flu's
Depression and anxiety
Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia
Hormone problems
Pain management
Diabetes
CV diseases

Question 12

What are the provinces which have regulated NDs?

Answer 12

BC, AB, ONT, MB, SK

Question 13

What is the required training to become and ND?

Answer 13

A minimum of three years of university before applying to a 4 years accredited college. 1200 hours of supervised clinical experience. Completion of the NPLEX and jurisprudence exam. Must also carry malpractice insurance.

Question 14

What are reserved titles of naturopathic doctors?

Answer 14

ND (naturopathic doctor/physician), NMD (doctor of naturopathic medicine) and drugless physician/healer

Question 15

What is a chiropractic?

Answer 15

A drug free, manual approach focused on the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders with an emphasis on treatment through manual adjustment or manipulation of the spine.

Question 16

What is another name for chiropractors?

Answer 16

Musculoskeletal Experts

Question 17

What do chiropractors focus on to treat patients?

Answer 17

The intimate relationship between the nervous system and spine, because they believe that biochemical and structural derangement of the spine can affect the nervous system.

Question 18

What else can chiropractors advise on?

Answer 18

Nutritional and lifestyle counseling.

Question 19

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

Answer 19

The most common form of treatment. This is a manual approach intending to decrease pain, improve areas of reduced movement in the joints and decrease muscle tightness or spasm through the restoration of normal mechanics and improved functioning of the spine and extremities.

Question 20

What are commonly treated ailments?

Answer 20

Lower back pain or leg pain (sciatica)
Neck pain
Repetitive strains
Headaches
Sports Injuries
Card accident injuries
Arthritic Pain

Question 21

What type of training to chiropractors need?

Answer 21

Minimum of three years of study in any discipline at any Canadian university. Complete a specific curriculum at an accredited school and a minimum of 4200 instructional hours. An internship and completion of the CCEB

Question 22

What are the only two schools of chiropractic in Canada?

Answer 22

Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in TO

Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres

Question 23

What is massage therapy?

Answer 23

The intentional and systemic manipulation of the soft tissues to affect musculoskeletal, circulatory, lymphatic and nervous systems with the aim of aiding the body’s ability to heal itself.

Question 24

What are the mechanisms of massage therapy?

Answer 24

Mechanical, physiological, reflex, mind-body or energetic

Question 25

What are commonly treated ailments of massage therapy?

Answer 25

``` Inflammatory conditions like arthritis Stress relief and associated conditions Headaches and migraines Muscle conditions like spasms, strains and sprains Back pain, repetitive strain injury Circulatory and respiratory problems Pregnancy and labor discomfort Post injury and post-surgical rehab ```

Question 26

Which provinces regulate massage therapists?

Answer 26

BC, NFLD and LB, ONT, AB

Question 27

What organization sets out the minimum standards that massage therapists must adhere to?

Answer 27

The Canadian Massage Therapist Alliance (CMTA)

Question 28

What sorts of training do massage therapists go through?

Answer 28

Must complete a minimum 2200 hours (2 years) course in massage therapy. Pass a provincial licensing exam in most provinces.

Question 29

What reserved titles do massage therapists have?

Answer 29

Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) Massage Practitioner Massotherapeute

Question 30

What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Answer 30

A conglomeration of treatments based on the philosophical world views of Toaism, Confucianism and Buddhism, and it emphasizes the importance of Qi - a vital energy manifested physically, mentally and spiritually.

Question 31

What types of treatments does TCM employ?

Answer 31

``` Acupunture Moxibustion Acupressure Tuina Cupping Herbal Remedies Dietary Interventions ```

Question 32

What are commonly treated ailments of TCM?

Answer 32

``` Insomnia/fatigue Headaches Fertilicy Constipation/diarrea Cancer pain Allergies Anxiety Sexual dysfunction Stress/tension ```

Question 33

What training do TCM specialists go through?

Answer 33

A 2 year university/college education program. Completion of an accredited TCM program. Must pass a competency exam

Question 34

What is acupuncture?

Answer 34

A type of TCM involving the insertion of a solid, filiform acupuncture needle into the skin at specific points on the body to achieve a therapeutic effect. It includes: electro-acupuncture, moxibustion, auricular acupuncture and accupressure.

Question 35

What are commonly treated ailments of acupuncture?

Answer 35

``` Lower back pain Acute vomiting induced by chemo Post-operative nausea and vomitting Neck disorders Recurrent headaches and idiopathic headaches ```

Question 36

What sorts of training do acupunturists go through?

Answer 36

2 year university/college education Completion of a 2-3 year accredited acupuncture program Competency exam

Question 37

What are the reserved titles for acupuncture specialists?

Answer 37

Registered acupuncturists | Acupunteur

Question 38

What is homeopathy?

Answer 38

It is a type of treatment using the notion that a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people and the notion that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater its effectiveness... Molecule Memory

Question 39

What is a problem associated with homeopathic remedies?

Answer 39

Although homeopathic remedies are highly diluted, and unlikely to cause harm, it is possible that some of them can contain substantial amounts of active ingredients and therefore interact with other drugs etc.

Question 40

Which organization attempts to regulate homeopathy in Canada?

Answer 40

The Homeopathic Medical Council of Canada

Question 41

What types of training do homeopaths go through?

Answer 41

Training with a 3 year program with + 1 year optional post-grad program. Clinical externship program.

Question 42

What is Complementary and Alternative Medicine?

Answer 42

It refers to a set of medical practices, services and products usually considered outside of out complementary to standard care. Viewed by many physicians in Western Medicine as foreign and possibly dangerous.