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Acupuncture
Facts
Terminology commonly associated with acupuncture
Complementary
and alternative medicine (CAM): A group of diverse
medical and health care systems, practices, and products
that are not presently considered an integral part of conventional
medicine. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional
medicine, and alternative medicine is used in place of conventional
medicine. Some health care providers practice both CAM and
conventional medicine.
Conventional medicine: A whole medical
system practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or
D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by their allied
health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists,
and registered nurses. Other terms for conventional medicine
include allopathy; Western, mainstream, and orthodox medicine;
and biomedicine.
Fibromyalgia: A complex chronic condition
having multiple symptoms, including muscle pain, fatigue,
and tenderness in precise, localized areas, particularly
in the neck, spine, shoulders, and hips.
People with this syndrome may also experience sleep disturbances,
morning stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and
other symptoms.
Meridian: A traditional Chinese medicine
term for each of the 20 pathways throughout the body for
the flow of qi, or vital energy, accessed through acupuncture
points.
Preclinical study: A study done to obtain
information about a treatment's safety and side effects
when given at different doses to animals or to cells grown
in the laboratory.
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