The Best Print and Electronic Resources

Transcription

1 The Medical Library Association Guideto Finding Out About Complementary and Alternative Medicine The Best Print and Electronic Resources GREGORY A. CRAWFORD Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. New York London

2 The information in this book is intended to help the reader locate information about complementary and alternative medicine. It is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified health care professional. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and currency of the facts presented, this information should not be used to make decisions about medical care. Please consult with your physician before making any decisions regarding medical treatment. Contact information and Web addresses listed in this book were accurate at the time the manuscript went to press. Published by Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. 100 William St., Suite 2004 New York, NY Copyright 2010 The Medical Library Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this book, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher, is prohibited. Printed and bound in the United States of America. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Crawford, Gregory A. The Medical Library Association guide to finding out about complementary and alternative medicine : the best print and electronic resources / Gregory A. Crawford. p. cm. (Medical Library Association guides) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN (alk. paper) 1. Alternative medicine Bibliography. 2. Alternative medicine Computer network resources Directories. I. Medical Library Association. II. Title. Z6675.A42C [R733] dc

3 Contents Preface Acknowledgments Introduction v ix xi Chapter 1. General Resources Chapter 2. The Alexander Technique Chapter 3. Alternative Diagnosis Techniques Chapter 4. Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Chapter 5. Ayurveda Chapter 6. Chiropractic Chapter 7. Energy Medicine and Energy Healing Chapter 8. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Chapter 9. Feldenkrais Method Chapter 10. Flower Therapies (Bach Flower Remedies and Flower Essences) Chapter 11. Herbs, Vitamins, Minerals, and Nutritional Supplements Chapter 12. Homeopathy Chapter 13. Iridology and Sclerology Chapter 14. Meditation Chapter 15. Naturopathy and Natural Medicine Chapter 16. Neuro-Linguistic Programming Chapter 17. Reflexology Chapter 18. Reiki Chapter 19. Rolfing and Structural Bodywork Chapter 20. Spirituality, Religion, and Prayer Chapter 21. Tai Chi and Qigong Chapter 22. Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork iii

4 iv MLA Guide to Finding Out About Complementary and Alternative Medicine Chapter 23. Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, and Acupressure Chapter 24. Yoga Appendix. Talking with Your Physician about Complementary and Alternative Medicine Author/Title Index About the Author

5 Preface The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has grown tremendously over the past few years. Medical schools now include information about CAM in their courses, doctors refer patients to practitioners of CAM, magazines often include articles on CAM, and television shows, including the news, frequently spotlight such therapies. Finding helpful information, however, can still be difficult. True, the Internet can be used, but judging the quality and accuracy of the information provided may be frustrating. Many magazine articles and books abound, but it can be hard to discern the ones that provide the best help. Library collections and reference librarians can be consulted, but their information is only as good as their sources. The Medical Library Association Guide to Finding Out About Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The Best Print and Electronic Resources is a direct result of my own interest in CAM, both as a client and as a practitioner, and my work as a librarian. The impetus for writing this book was twofold. First, there did not seem to be a good current book aimed at reference librarians or collection development specialists that could assist them in their work. Second, I was eligible for a research sabbatical. As the director of the library at the Harrisburg campus of the Pennsylvania State University, I wanted to pursue research that would be both personally fulfilling and useful to the profession. The first topic that popped into my head was complementary and alternative medicine. After an examination of the available literature, the main source that I could identify was Alternative Medicine Resource Guide by Francine Feuerman and Marsha J. Handel, but this work has become dated [1]. Thus, I applied for and was granted the sabbatical to compile a book that I hope will be useful to librarians for answering basic reference questions on CAM, for building collections that will be helpful for patrons who seek additional information on these therapies, and for providing readers advisory for materials on CAM. Personally, I have been interested in alternative therapies for many years. Several years ago, my wife gave me a birthday present of learning Reiki and being attuned to Reiki I. Later, I was attuned to Reiki II, and then, after a decade of practicing Reiki, I became a Reiki master/teacher. During that same time span, I completed the Surya program taught by Dr. Michael Mamas. Surya healing is also known as transgradient touch and counseling since it combines hands-on energy work while providing spiritual counseling to our clients. Through the Surya program I also became a teacher of Surya meditation. Always curious, I completed the Doctor of Naturopathy degree through the Trinity College of Natural Health. Thus, complementary and alternative therapies have been of great importance to me and to my understanding of health, although I still have checkups with my regular physician and believe that traditional allopathic medicine should be incorporated, when necessary, into a healthy lifestyle. I regularly use a variety of alternative treatments, including chiropractic, acupuncture, Rolfing, massage, and hands-on healing. In addition, I take a variety of herbs, vitamins, and nutritional v

6 vi MLA Guide to Finding Out About Complementary and Alternative Medicine supplements to enhance my well-being. Even if the positive results that I have experienced arise merely from the placebo effect, I am grateful for the relief that they provide. How to Use This Book After an introduction that details the growth in the use of CAM within the United States, the first chapter provides an extensive listing of general works, covering many aspects of complementary and alternative approaches to health and healing. The remaining chapters follow a set structure that mirrors the overall goals of the work as a whole. First, each chapter presents general information on a specific type of complementary and alternative medicine, for example, ayurveda, chiropractic, Reiki, or yoga. This section of the chapter includes the history of the therapy, its use, and the training required for a practitioner and can be used to answer basic reference questions. Instead of using copious footnotes, I have listed the major sources of information I consulted under a general Sources heading. The second section of each chapter includes a selected listing of books, websites, and periodicals (journals and magazines) with an annotation detailing the coverage of each item. Thus, this section can be used for collection development and reader s advisory. Due to the varying amount of materials available, some types of CAM receive their own chapters while others are combined with related therapies. For example, Reiki has its own chapter instead of being covered in the chapter on energy healing since a large number of books and websites are devoted to it. Similarly, the Alexander Technique, the Feldenkrais Method, and Rolfing all receive individual chapters rather than being included under therapeutic massage and bodywork. In contrast, the Rosen Method and Hellerwork are included in the chapter on therapeutic massage and bodywork since fewer information resources are devoted to them. Resource Selection All the materials included in the chapter listings are in English. The majority of the books are published in the United States, although a significant number are published in foreign countries, predominantly in the United Kingdom and Canada. Due to cost, the ISBN is usually given for the paperback edition if both hardback and paperback editions are available. Most important, the materials are readily available through bookstores, book jobbers, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders, or the publishers themselves. I have included only the most recent edition of each book, and all of the books were in print when they were examined for inclusion. The materials listed are not intended to be completely comprehensive but comprise the best and most reliable representative selection of what is available. With that said, I tried to cast a wide net to capture as many good English language sources as possible on the topics discussed. After examination, many sources were excluded due to the nature and quality of their contents. Some are more controversial than others. Some are more technical than others and may only be of true interest to health care practitioners; those are included here if the more consumer-oriented publications were not comprehensive or reliable. Most of the books and magazines are relatively inexpensive, although a few are inordinately expensive. Due to the changing nature of the publishing industry and

7 Preface vii the discounts available through book jobbers and online retailers, book and magazine prices have not been included. Almost 1,000 items are included in the various chapters, representing 606 books, 160 websites, and 221 periodicals. All website URLs were reverified prior to publication. Although I was already familiar with many of the therapies listed under the rubric of complementary and alternative medicine, I have learned a great deal during the writing of The Medical Library Association Guide to Finding Out About Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The Best Print and Electronic Resources about other modalities and have become even more fascinated with the many approaches that can be used to provide healing and support to those who are suffering. It is my hope that this Medical Library Association Guide will help my colleagues in other libraries and will, even in a small way, make other people healthier. Reference 1. Francine Feuerman and Marsha J. Handel, Alternative Medicine Resource Guide (Lanham, MD: Medical Library Association & Scarecrow Press, 1997).

8 Acknowledgments Iwould like to thank the Pennsylvania State University, the University Libraries, Penn State Harrisburg, and my coworkers at the Penn State Harrisburg Library, especially Ruth Runion-Slear, the interlibrary loan supervisor, for their support while I worked on this book. Also, my wife, Merle, and my son, Christopher, continue to be inspirations to me, and I appreciate their ongoing support of me, of my pursuits in alternative health, and of life in general. Special thanks go to Charles Harmon of Neal-Schuman Publishers and the various reviewers who provided excellent feedback throughout the preparation of the manuscript. I also appreciate the support of the Medical Library Association and their sponsorship of the book. ix