Originally published October 3 2005
Alternative medicine gains popularity as disenchantment with Western medicine grows
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
According to a federal survey conducted in 2004, thirty-six percent of adults in America have sought out alternative forms of medicine such as Reiki, herbal treatment, and acupuncture.
Rutledge sought out alternative medical treatments in late 2003 in hopes of finding out what was at the root of her malaise and whether it could be healed without prescription medication.
Practitioners of energy medicine believe negative thoughts, worry, fear and anger disturb the chakras and can cause them to become unbalanced, thus causing physical problems.
The trend has led to what is known as "complementary and alternative medicine," or "CAM."
In CAM, alternative medicine complements conventional medicine or alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine.
Thirty-six percent of American adults use some form of complementary and alternative medicine to treat illness, according to a federally funded survey released in May 2004.
Congress has even established the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine as part of the National Institutes of Health.
"It's the root cause that patients want to fix, it's not just the symptoms," said Tauai, who is the coordinator of the health system's complementary/alternative medicine program.
While patients have the right to seek alternative medical treatment, Tauai strongly suggested that they keep their primary care doctor informed about what they are doing.
It is particularly important when a patient is using herbs and vitamins because some can have an adverse reaction when taken with prescription medications, she said.
Prescription medication failed to bring Rutledge relief from fibromyalgia, a condition that is characterized by widespread muscle pain and stiffness.
Reiki is a Japanese form of energy medicine in which practitioners help channel energy through the seven major chakras --- energy points --- to unblock them, helping patients heal, McCoy-Lappin said.
Practitioners say each chakra is associated with different organs and systems within the body and can be affected by emotions and thoughts.
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