Alternative and Complementary Medicine Quiz

These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things. Alternative medicine often refers to medical therapies used in place of more conventional medicine (allopathic), the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) says. Complementary medicine refers to medical therapies used in conjunction with conventional medicine.

Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners see the body as responsible for its own healing, the NCCAM says. Complementary/alternative medicine practitioners are there to encourage your body to heal itself. They also see themselves as teachers, instructing you on ways to heal. Another complementary/alternative medicine principle is prevention, or doing all you can to keep yourself healthy and avoid illness. These principles are the same as for conventional medicine, as well. Some complementary and alternative medicine practitioners believe in various types of balance between forces or energies that are outside of the body to which the body needs to align itself in order to heal.

Homeopathy is based on the idea that "like cures like." The theory is that homeopaths stimulate the body with very tiny amounts of an illness-causing substance, triggering the natural healing process.

Naturopathy, which emphasizes the natural healing process, also includes dietary supplements, herbal medicine, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, massage, and joint manipulation. Naturopaths encourage people to follow a healthy lifestyle to avoid disease. No studies have verified that naturopathy as a separate form of medicine is effective, the NCCAM says.

Ayurvedic medicine emphasizes treating the mind, body, and spirit as the way to promote wellness. Controlled breathing is just one factor. Other elements of treatment can include diet, exercise, meditation, herbal medicine, and massage. Although studies have been done in India on the effectiveness of ayurvedic medicine, the NCCAM says that these studies don't meet U.S. standards.

TCM believes that the body contains two opposite forces: yin is the cold, slow and passive force; yang is the hot, fast and active force, the NCCAM says. Illness occurs when an imbalance occurs between these forces, allowing a kind of life energy (qi, or chi) to become blocked. TCM uses three types of treatment: acupuncture and heat; Chinese herbs; and massage and body manipulation. Although elements of TCM such as acupuncture and massage are effective in certain specific situations, no studies have verified that TCM as a separate form of medicine is effective, the NCCAM says.

Artemisia Annua contains the chemical artemisinin, which researchers used to create drugs for malaria treatment, the NCCAM says.

St. John's wort has been marketed as a treatment for depression. The NCCAM says that studies on the herb's effectiveness have had mixed results; some studies found St. John's wort no more effective in treating moderately severe depression than a placebo.

A dietary supplement should be regarded as medicine; it can interact with prescription and over-the-counter medications. Gingko, for instance, can boost the action of anticoagulants, causing bleeding. Other supplements that have been shown to interfere with medications include St. John's wort, garlic, glucosamine, ginseng, saw palmetto, soy, and valerian, the NCCAM says.

Although water-soluble vitamins aren't stored in the body that way fat-soluble vitamins are, they can still cause problems while they are being digested. High doses of vitamin C—more than 2,000 mg per day—can cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, the NCCAM says. High doses of B-complex vitamins may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease; high doses of vitamin B-6 can cause nerve damage. Talk with your health care provider before taking a dietary supplement, particularly if it's more than a multivitamin.