Close to 38% of the adult American population turns to complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) for treating what ails them and a growing number of parents allow their children to use them, too, according to the recently released results of a survey conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Complementary medicines are used in conjunction with mainstream medical treatments and alternative medicines are used in lieu of the traditional approach altogether.

Pain is the number one reason people look to CAMs, with back pain topping the list. Neck and joint pain, arthritis, and headaches, all considered difficult to treat conditions, are other problems Americans hope the CAMs will alleviate.

The latest survey figures are the result of a 2007 telephone survey of 23,000 adults and 9,500 children. About 38% of the adults admitted turning to CAMS, up 2% from a similar survey conducted in 2002. Children, age 18 and under, using CAMS was about 12% in 2007.

Like adults, children turn to alternatives for back pain, too, but they are also likely to use them for anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), colds, and stress.

One reason cited for using CAMS is the belief that they work better than standardized medical treatments. Another is the expectation they will do so with fewer harsh side effects than traditional pharmaceuticals.

Some complementary or alternative options include herbal remedies, natural products, chiropractic manipulation, acupuncture, deep breathing exercises, massage, and meditation.

Fish oil, taken to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, is one of the most often used natural remedies for adults. Echinacea, too, is popular for treating or preventing colds but use of this medicinal plant has declined in adults since 2002 although it is the natural product used most often by children today.

The use of CAMS is gaining the most popularity in people 60 and older but women and people with high levels of education favor them, too.