Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM)

Healthcare providers often prescribe medications and drugs to control and manage your asthma and asthma symptoms. These medications help you by offering immediate relief from your symptoms. But many of them have serious, life-threatening, or permanent side effects. The good news is that prescription drugs are not your only option for managing your asthma. Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) ¹ are alternatives that may not have lesser or no harmful side effects.

What is CAM?

CAM is an umbrella term for healing practices and treatment options that are outside of Western medicine. For instance, CAM can include herbs, vitamins, and mind-body and body-based practices. These practices can involve yoga, massages, and medication.

CAM practices and treatments are an option. They do not replace the need for your prescribed asthma therapies. You can use some of these therapies with your inhaled or oral medications. Traditional medicine practices tend to treat and manage your symptoms. The approach to CAM is different – it treats you as a whole.

Keep in Mind

Before using any complementary and alternative medicine treatment or practice, you should:

• Consult with your healthcare provider to ensure that one or more of these complementary and alternative medicines is appropriate for your situation.
• Your insurance may not cover one or more of these treatment options and healing practices.
• U.S. healthcare systems do not often use complementary and alternative medicines. As a result, you may have trouble finding practitioners.