Complementary and Alternative Treatments for PTSD

Broadly conceptualized, the term “complementary and alternative medicine” (CAM) refers to treatments not considered to be standard to the current practice of Western medicine. “Complementary” refers to the use of these techniques in combination with conventional approaches, whereas “alternative” refers to their use in lieu of conventional practices. Of course, many treatments and techniques (e.g., acupuncture) that are considered CAM within U.S. borders are elemental to conventional medicinal practices in other parts of the world. As Western practitioners and consumers increasingly adopt these approaches, the boundaries between conventional medicine and CAM continue to shift. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has proposed a five-category classification system for CAM therapies: 1) natural products (e.g., herbal dietary supplements); 2) mind-body medicine (e.g., meditation, acupuncture, yoga); 3) manipulative and body-based practices (e.g., massage, spinal manipulation); 4) other alternative practices (e.g., movement therapies, energy therapies); and 5) whole medicine systems (e.g., traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine). The current review does not address natural products, which fall outside our area of expertise, nor does it address whole medicine systems, as our interest is in exploring applications of CAM within conventional Western medicine.