Blackwell Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fast Facts for Medical Practice

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Summary: Tremendous resource for busy clinicians
Review: There are a growing number of books on Complementary / Alternative Medicine (CAM) on the shelves, and a reliable resource on CAM therapies is imperative for conventional Western medical doctors as 50% or more of their patients are exploring these potentially helpful / potentially harmful therapies. This book distinguishes itself from the pack by providing the 30,000 foot view of each practice buoyed by bullet points highlighting the essential information a clinician needs to know to advise patients. This is a wonderful resource for busy clinicians who have only a few minutes of spare time to devote to counseling patients on CAM. I would recommend this book to any physician or other health care provider who sees patients; such a book should be provided to medical students and / or residents at the start of their training.

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Summary: Lee Lipsenthal, MD
Review: This book serves as a usefull in office guide for quick reference on alternative therapies. I find it useful for myself as well as my patients.

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Summary: For all lay persons as well as medical practitioners!!
Review: This is an amazing , easy to read text that is for everyone. As a medical doctor I would recommend that everyone buy one for themselves as well as their own physician to help educate them on what will be the fundamentals of wellness of our future. We will need to use all these therapies in combination with western medicine to ensure the wellness of ourselves and our future generations...........

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Summary: Excellent Guide for Both Professional and Lay Population
Review: This is an informative and very readable guide to medical modalities currently used in lieu (or more frequently, in tandem) to treat many medical conditions. This book provides information on basic concepts of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine), including political and economic issues. More than a dozen modalities are reviewed, including acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis and homeopathy. In addition, more contemporary interventions such as aroma and music therapies, therapeutic touch and guided imagery are explained. The approach is straight-forward; with each topic written by a specialist in the field. Authors (most are physicians; but several are nurses with extensive experience in the field of particular study) describe each topic; it's history, indications and hopeful outcomes and (in effort to assure a balanced review) limitations of treatment. Certification and licensing requirements are also addressed; with a sampling of nationwide hospitals and clinics providing CAM programs provided. This book is an excellent tool for both the professional and layperson seeking to understand alternative treatments and their effective integration with more tradition medical care.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Guide for Both Professional and Lay Population
Review: This is an informative and very readable guide to medical modalities currently used in lieu (or more frequently, in tandem) to treat many medical conditions. This book provides information on basic concepts of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine), including political and economic issues. More than a dozen modalities are reviewed, including acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis and homeopathy. In addition, more contemporary interventions such as aroma and music therapies, therapeutic touch and guided imagery are explained. The approach is straight-forward; with each topic written by a specialist in the field. Authors (most are physicians; but several are nurses with extensive experience in the field of particular study) describe each topic; it's history, indications and hopeful outcomes and (in effort to assure a balanced review) limitations of treatment. Certification and licensing requirements are also addressed; with a sampling of nationwide hospitals and clinics providing CAM programs provided. This book is an excellent tool for both the professional and layperson seeking to understand alternative treatments and their effective integration with more tradition medical care.