Have you ever practiced yoga, tried some essential oils, or taken natural supplements? If so, you are among 38% of the U.S. population who uses some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and this percentage is only increasing according to a 2007 study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). CAM is a category of practices, approaches, and beliefs outside of conventional medicine but is nonetheless used to improve one’s health and prevent disease. This includes, but is not limited to, meditation, chiropractic care, aromatherapy, and herbal supplements. With such prevalent use of CAM, it would seem logical that those practicing, as non-medical professionals, would consult their doctors for information about these potentially beneficial practices. Yet, there is a considerable lack of communication between physicians and their patients about complementary and alternative medicine. Why?
At the root of the problem is doctors’ lack of intimate knowledge about CAM. This lack of knowledge is the result of several factors. For one, the traditional route of medical education in the United States familiarizes physicians with conventional Western medicine but not complementary and alternative medicine. Another reason is CAM’s weak scientific backing, as many of the treatments fail to present consistent and reliable results in rigorous clinical trials. Perhaps the most significant issue causing this knowledge gap, however, is doctors’ apparent lack of need for this kind of knowledge.
Image Source: Morsa Images
Though over a third of Americans use some type of CAM, many patients do not inform their primary care clinicians about it. In another study published by the National Institute of Health, patients consistently reported a preference for their physicians to initiate a conversation about CAM. However, when doctors are not aware that their patients are practicing non-conventional medicine, they see no reason to expand their knowledge set to include CAM treatments.
One interviewed clinician from the study said, “I think if I heard more of it coming from my patients, I would feel more stimulated to go out there and get myself informed. But if they’re not bringing it up, then I’m not.”
Image Source: aldomurillo
Communication is a two-way road, and it is just as important for patients to inform doctors as it is for doctors to inform patients. A weak understanding of CAM can make a doctor less likely to suggest alternative methods, as they are not confident it will help their patient. This knowledge gap will persist if doctors don’t realize that greater familiarity with CAM would benefit their patients. The end result is a two-way barrier in communication about complementary and alternative medicine, but that’s not to say the situation cannot be remedied. As patients, it is important to open up the floor to conversations about CAM by simply being willing to ask doctors about it. Taking that first step to raise awareness could open the doors to future conversations about working as a team to improve one’s personal health.
Featured Image Credit: Angel Sinigersky
