Alternative Information

Alternative and Complementary Medicine: Old Medicine, New Synergies


The terms alternative medicine and complementary medicine are often wrongly used as synonyms. Actually, the term alternative medicine refers to medicine systems like Ayurveda or Acupuncture that are used in place of conventional medicine, while complementary medicine refers to those therapies like massage that are used in conjunction with conventional medicine.

However, both end up performing the same role in several western countries. That is why in popular parlance alternative medicine has come to be known as complementary medicine, giving birth to the term alternative and complementary medicine.

Most practitioners recognize acupuncture, osteopathy, chiropractic, Ayurveda, Homeopathy and herbal medicine as the most important forms of alternative and complementary medicine.

These may be the major alternative therapies but the list of alternative and complementary medicine does not end here. The other medicinal systems that can be included in this grouping are naturopathy, nutritional medicine, aromatherapy, massage, crystal healing and different types of energy medicine. Barring Homeopathy, most of the alternative and complementary medicine systems evolved in ancient times in countries like India, China, Egypt, Tibet and Persia.

An important aspect of alternative and complementary medicine is that it focuses on the person as a whole. The medicine is therefore based not only on the patient's physical symptoms but also on the individual's lifestyle, environment, diet, mental and emotional health; sometimes even the spiritual health. That is why alternative medicine is called holistic medicine.

Interestingly, alternative and complementary medicine is no longer limited to the mystic Orient. But the western world to is recognizing these medicinal therapies as an important component of healing.

Countries like India and China are using their knowledge of alternative and complementary medicine to promote what has come to be known as medical tourism. A large number of westerners are flying to these Asian countries to look for holistic cures.

In the West too, a large number of women are using aromatherapy and massage while men are turning to alternative and complementary medicine to recover from sports injuries or back pain.

The other medical problems for which practitioners are turning to alternative and complementary medicine are chronic ailments like arthritis, cystitis, asthma or chronic fatigue. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the value of holistic treatments. Among the diseases that WHO believes can be cured with these approaches are asthma, eczema, digestive disorders and headaches.

This growing acceptance of alternative and complementary medicine is a healthy sign for the world, because the synergies that have been so created are helping to tackle many incurable diseases. In the ultimate analysis, we should not forget that alternative and complementary medicine systems originated thousands of years ago, and have been successful in treating millions of people across the ages.

Howard Tiano, has studied optimum health techniques for three decades, and came to alternative medicine through a family health crises. Sign up for the free 7 part series, "Dietary Supplements; Truth or Consequences" at:
http://www.alternative-medicine-resource.com.


MORE RESOURCES:

Ninemsn

Alternative energy outlook clouds up
Houston Chronicle, United States - Oct 9, 2008
"The concept of alternative energy has a lot of momentum," said Dan Pickering, head of research for Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities in Houston. ...
Walker: Oil conundrum Times Record News
all 2,816 news articles


ENG: A clear alternative
Rocky Mountain News, CO - 10 hours ago
I offer a clear alternative — an alternative guided by an ethical moral compass and an engineer’s judgment. Let me tell you a small piece of my story. ...


TAKE 2: An alternative look in the day in sports
Columbia Daily Tribune, MO - 3 hours ago
By JOE WALLJASPER As Thursday’s brouhaha between Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick reinforced, NASCAR has plenty in common with high school. ...


Lawmakers offer alternative to Measure 1
Bismarck Tribune,  USA - 6 hours ago
By BRIAN DUGGAN Two lawmakers are asking voters to nix Measure 1 this fall, saying they will introduce another constitutional amendment next session that ...
ND politics: Legislators: Reject Measure 1, OK alternative in 2010 Grand Forks Herald
Lawmakers say ND oil measure goes too far In-Forum
all 14 news articles


Apple: The cheaper alternative?
CNET News, CA - Oct 10, 2008
I can't believe what I'm reading. All across the Web, reporters are saying that at Apple's press event next week, the company will unveil an $800 Mac to ...


Buzz Walker: supports vocational, alternative ed
Payson Roundup, AZ - 18 hours ago
He is a big proponent of the district’s alternative school, Payson Center for Success, calling it a “super, super facility.” Alternative schools educate ...


AP Alternative Assets Provides Notice Regarding Equity Investment ...
Euronext (persbericht), Netherlands - 20 hours ago
Guernsey , Channel Islands, October 10, 2008 AP Alternative Assets, LP (“AAA”, Euronext Amsterdam: AAA) hereby provides notice that in order to assist ...


YOUR VIEW: Alternative wastewater treatment meets three criteria
South Coast Today, MA - 11 hours ago
By steve Buckley Steve Buckley is executive vice president of technology and business development at a wastewater treatment company in New Bedford. ...


Jackson Hewitt(R) Alerts Taxpayers of Changes to the Alternative ...
MarketWatch - Oct 10, 2008
The AMT, originally created in 1969, is an alternative tax calculated by using a separate set of rules that disallow many deductions and exemptions used in ...
United States: Tax Extenders And Alternative Minimum Tax Relief ... Mondaq News Alerts (subscription)
Alternative energy's muddled future MarketWatch
all 13 news articles


School district's alternative plan proposal rejected
Portsmouth Herald News, NH - 21 hours ago
At that point, the WOCSD proposed filing an alternative plan, citing that it had negotiated in good faith and yet remained without a geographically ...

Alternative - Google News

home | site map
© 2006