Who Uses Complementary and Alternative Medications (CAM) and Why

The CDC just released data from 2007 surveys of the US population showing the percentage of adults who use CAM approaches to various medical conditions. Back pain leads the list of reasons people use approaches outside mainstream medicine, including acupuncture; ayurveda; homeopathic treatment; naturopathy; traditional healers; chelation therapy; nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products; diet-based therapies; chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation; massage; movement therapies; biofeedback; meditation; guided imagery; progressive relaxation; deep-breathing exercises; hypnosis; yoga; tai chi; qi gong; and energy healing therapy. You can find more about these treatments at The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, MayoClinic.com, the National Cancer Institute, and the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.