The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Outpatients With Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases in Western Sweden.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is treatment that primarily is given outside the institutions where conventional medicine is practised. CAM drugs are substances that often have a natural origin and are taken orally or used topically, for self-treatment. CAM methods are therapies where the patient often goes to a practitioner, for example acupuncture, massage, homeopathy or chiropractics.

Most cultures have their own history of traditional treatments, with herbal medicine or spiritual healers.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread and increasing in many countries. The sales figures in Sweden for CAM drugs, functional foods and dietary supplements have increased from 450 million to 4250 million SEK between 1980 and 2007. Many people of today use CAM as a complement, rather than an alternative, to conventional healthcare. Some alternative methods, like acupuncture and massage, have also been integrated into conventional medicine.

The biological effects of drugs containing herbs or animal parts are often unknown and there is a hazard of interaction with prescribed medication.

The use of CAM drugs is often not communicated by the patient to the physician. A Swedish point observation study of patients admitted to Sahlgrenska hospital 2004 showed that 69 % of the patients had used CAM drugs at any time in their life, but only 27,5% had informed their doctor about it. The use of CAM drugs was seldom documented in the medical records of the patient.