Health Insight

Archive for the ‘Alternative Medicine’ Category

Alternative medicine is a combined term used for various methods or practices of healing brought in practice by physicians or non-physicians, in addition to or apart from the conventional medicine. It is estimated that a little over 33% of the US population uses some form of alternative medicine that is mainly comprised of remedies derived from several different types of traditional and ethnic therapies. All of these therapies have diverse practice and/ or product based guidelines that are not a part of conventional Western medicine. This may include meditation, acupuncture, prayer, herbal supplements, chiropractors, massage therapy and other natural medicines.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a separate division, called The National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, that looks into the research, ethical and validation and related issues of alternative medicine that is prevalent in the US.

A recent statistics from the NIH shows that as many as 36% of the American adult population relies on one or more forms of alternative medicine to ward off sickness or derive other health benefits. The study doesn’t limit the use of alternative medicine to this specific population and shows that women, college students, former smokers and people who have undergone previous hospitalization are also using alternative medicine practices. The sheer holistic nature of alternative medicine is what draws people to it, but despite its widespread use and popularity, it remains relatively understudied.

Some of the most widely used alternative therapies in the US include biologically based practices, mind-body medicine, manipulative and body-based practices, and alternative herbal medicine, Ayurveda, naturopathy, homeopathy and energy medicine.

Alternative medicine is termed as informal, supplementary, and complementary medicine. Alternative medicine is lot different from conventional medical approaches and mainly prescribed instead of the regular treatments in allopathic field. The treatments, which are included in alternative medicine, are herbal medicine, homeopathy, Chinese, non-medical massage therapy, hypnosis, chelation therapy, acupuncture, tribal-traditional medicine, Christian Science, and ayurvedic.

Conventional allopathic doctors are preferred in any case of health problem for any person from their childhood. Though alternative medicine has gained popularity and gained trust by many people still confusion about its advantages and disadvantages are questioned.

However, these days there are various rigorous researches on alternative and complementary medicine are carried out and its efficiency is proved. There is a future in alternative medicine.

The usage of this type of method is done by two following methods:
Combinations of both are also in use. For. E.g. In addition to the conventional prescription medicine a nice Tai massage is proved to do wonders. The second method is the alternative approaches are used instead of conventional method. i.e. alternative method alone is prescribed for any treatment.

In Alternative medicine, there are few philosophies, which are observed. They are:
Body with little therapy and medicine can heal by itself. Always a product should enhance the bodies healing capacity. Prevention is better than cure. A general check up should always be done periodically to keep a check before anything goes wrong. Bodies responding capacity to any treatment is important then the treatment itself.

Few Alternative medicine/ complementary medicines are:

Mind and body technique: In this therapy combination of mind and body is the key. In alternative medicine harmony between mind and body are necessary to be fit. This connection method includes in prayer, hypnosis, yoga, biofeedback, meditation, relaxation therapies, music, dance etc.

Dietary supplements and herbs: In this treatment natural products are used. Herbs and dietary supplements like ginkgo, enchinacea, ginseng, same, glucosamine sulfate, selenium are prescribed in the form of oils, tea, powder, syrup, tablet and capsule. This method is in practice for almost thousand and above years.

Healing system: it is a combination of many therapy and practice/ remedy. It has its base revolving around the presence of healing energy in the body and the power of natural products used for curing. Healing system is the base in ayurveda, homeopathy, and naturopathy. Mostly countries like India, china, pacific, Asia, and Tibet follow this method of healing therapy.

Alternative medicine is becoming a popular choice for health-conscious individuals, yet many of them are unsure just exactly what the term encompasses. Many of them have even asked their doctors, “What is alternative medicine?”, yet they get no clear answer.

Basically, alternative medicine is any sort of therapy or treatment that is used instead of the type of medical attention most of us grew up with. You know the routine… you feel unwell, make an appointment with your doctor, and go to his office. You sit in the waiting area with a group of other sick people, hoping that none of them are too contagious. Finally, you are called back to see the doctor. You leave with a prescription or two, stop at the drugstore to get your prescriptions filled, and go home to bed. In a few days, you may or may not feel halfway human again.

Would you like to know what alternative medicine is? Think of alternative medicine as a tree trunk with many branches. The branches are the different practices that together as a whole make up alternative medicine. You have a wide variety to choose from, based on the symptoms of your illness. What is alternative medicine used for? It’s not only for when you are ill, but when you want to improve your health

What is alternative medicine also known as in the natural medicine world? A few of the most used and recommended branches of alternative medicine include -

o Acupuncture

o Homeopathy

o Herbal Medicine

o Naturopathy

o Chiropractic

Acupuncture uses fine needles to regulate the energy of the body into a more cohesive pattern, and is used for many types of sicknesses and well-being issues.

Homeopathy works under the assumption that the body can be cured of anything that is wrong with it by using just a tiny amount of material from nature, such as herbs or flowers, that would create symptoms of an illness in man or beast. By doing this, the body rallies, and begins to heal itself.

Herbal medicine is the use of any part of a plant, from its roots to its leaves, as an aid to relieving sicknesses and pain, as well as promoting feelings of calm and well-being.

Naturopathy does merely treat routine illnesses. People who have embraced naturopathy as a form of alternative medicine believe that the body is able to heal itself, and that nature can play a huge role in a person’s overall health.

Chiropractic does not heal. By adjusting the spine, a chiropractor clears the nerve pathways in the body, allowing the body to make itself well.

What is alternative medicine? It’s a way of life for many people, and its natural remedies continue to draw seekers from all walks of life.