Alternative Healthcare Options For Alternative Medicine

In modern medicine, alternative therapies are poorly understood and studied. The preference for alternative therapies, and herbal medicine were indicated, and the fear of relinquishing information regarding these practices were almost paralyzing. It seemed as though they were ashamed to admit to cultural healing practices, and did not divulge information to practitioners regarding their usage. The cultural disconnect was present as alternative/complimentary medicines are valued as a culture, and “modern” practitioners cast judgment on their usage. This perceived stigma additionally limited the information shared by the cultural participants with modern medical treatments, potentially causing additional harm, as some herbals are potentially toxic.

Throughout the years there have been two traditions within the practice of medicine. One is the 'art of healing ' which involves its own specialised brand of training. The art of healing is dependent on the prescriber 's foreknowledge and the clients’ viewpoint of the prosperous results. The 'Science of healing ' is based on scientific and technological ideas. This tradition results in a lower liability for practitioners regarding the showing of an original approach to medicine, however the results of this method are more calculable (Kayne 2002). It is believed that the tradition of the ‘art of healing’ is increasing in popularity. The World Health Organisation states ' 'that the terms ' 'complementary medicine ' ' or ' 'alternative medicine’ ' are used interchangeably with traditional medicine in some countries. They refer to a broad set of health care practices that are not part of that country 's own tradition and are not integrated into the dominant health care system” (World Health Organization 2000). This type of treatment, is commonly known as ‘Complementary and alternative medicine’ (CAM). The word complementary derives from the meaning ‘together with’ established practices and the word alternative refers to ‘in place’ of established practices. Some patients choose to participate in complementary therapies along with the medication prescribed by their general practitioner whilst others prefer complementary therapies as opposed to the medications

Medical practices used in place of modern medical treatments. Medical systems that are complete diagnostic and treatment methods used in traditional and non-traditional Chinese medicine such as homeopathy and naturopathic medicine.

Also, there is not enough evidence to show the benefits of alternative medicine other than people’s stories. However, insurance companies still should cover alternative medicine because they have been proven successful around the world and are used in some hospitals and clinics in China. In addition, Western medicine has its faults: ”The patient is a machine composed of individual body parts that when broken or lost, can be fixed or replaced by new parts”(Marcum, 2008, 105). In other words, they compare us to machines, which is not true and it’s a fallacy, because not any parts of our body can be replaced. Thus, the choice for patients should be theirs to satisfy their

Complementary and alternative medicine or CAM is “a large and diverse set of systems of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention based on philosophies and techniques other than those used in conventional Western medicine, often derived from traditions of medical practice used in other (non-Western) cultures. Such practices may be described as alternative that is, existing as a body separate from and as a replacement for conventional Western medicine, or complementary, that is, used in addition to conventional Western practice. CAM is characterized by its focus on the whole person as a unique individual, on the energy of the body and its influence on health and disease, on the healing power of nature and the mobilization of the body 's own resources to heal itself, and on the treatment of the underlying causes, rather than symptoms, of disease. Many of the techniques used are the subject of controversy and have not been validated by controlled studies” (“Complementary and alternative”, 2009). In essence, complementary refers to unconventional therapy used together with conventional medicine and alternative refers to an unconventional approach used in the place of conventional medicine. Some examples of CAM include chiropractic medicine, yoga, meditation, diet therapies, acupuncture, herbal medicine such as vitamin and mineral supplements and therapeutic touch therapy. They will either be classified as complementary or alternative based on whether the method

Alternative medicine believes in supporting the natural healing processes of the body. This means that helps a better functioning of organs, for example, it does not destroy the liver function, such as pharmaceutical products do. It means allowing the body to regulate their own cholesterol, blood pressure and brain chemistry in a healthy way of support.

An increasing number of medical schools are now offering courses in alternative medicine for their students, and some hospitals already have alternative medicine departments. The availability of healers and doctors practicing holistic medicine has also increased in recent years, and more and more people are educating themselves in these new fields. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that between 65 and 80 percent of the world’s population (about 3 billion people) rely on traditional medicine as their primary form of health care.

The World Health Organization has defined three types of health systems to describe the degree to which traditional medicine/complementary and alternative medicine is an officially recognized element of health care. "In an integrative system, TM/CAM [traditional medicine/complementary and alternative medicine] is officially recognized and incorporated into all areas of health care provision.... An inclusive system recognizes TM/CAM, but has not yet fully integrated it into all aspects of health care, be this health care delivery, education and training, or regulation.... With a tolerant system, the national health care system is based entirely on allopathic medicine, but some TM/CAM practices are tolerated by law."

In the United States, approximately 38 percent of adults (about 4 in 10) and approximately 12 percent of children (about 1 in 9) are using some form of CAM (NIH 2016). Based on the interview with DR P, she explained that there has been an increase of people looking into alternative medicine. Steuter quoted Eisenberg as “Fifty percent of Canadians use some form of alternative medicine and spend approximately $1.8 billion a year on it ("Canadians Pour Billions" 16). In the United States, visits to alternative medicine practitioners now exceed total visits to standard physicians. Americans are spending more than $20 billion a year on alternative therapies and treatments” (stouter, 2002). This increase has made one wonder why are people moving towards alternative medicine. One of the many reasons Dr. P noted is that that people need a better doctor client relationship. There is no relationship with the family doctor. There is something missing (interview, February 20, 2017). She explained that the average patient gets twenty minutes with a doctor. This is not enough time to diagnose a

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in complementary medicine, and indeed alternative medicine (Lee-Treweek 2002, Andrews 2004, Barry 2006). Moreover the number of professionally trained therapist and practitioners has increased giving the patient/client a better choice and at more competitive rates (Smallwood, 2005).

There are three classes in which medicine and treatment can be placed. The first being conventional treatment. This method is frequently used where one visits doctors and specialists to receive treatment. The use of natural substances and remedies to restore to health those who ailing is known as traditional treatment . Alternative treatment includes all else short of traditional and conventional medication.

Alternative remedies, sometimes known as complementary remedies, offer a wide variety of products and methods in improving well-being separate from contemporary medicinal practices. According to

Although "Alternative" or "Complementary" medicine has been kept on the fringes of the medical sciences in the past, it is becoming increasingly more popular, and more reputable. Alternative medicines are those medical systems which are not taught to or practiced by most conventional medical doctors. Alternative medicines seemingly have always existed, changing and conforming to the current climate of society. There seems to be an almost endless number of alternative medicines, each with their own method of gaining perfect health. Often people who are dissatisfied with conventional medicine turn to alternative medicine for their medical needs. Many similarities link the diverse extremities of alternative medicine.

The attitude that doctors tend to prescribe a pill for “everything” has become overwhelming and prominent in mainstream medicine. Patients are looking for other ways to treat their disease or condition without having to take prescription medications or use more holistic methods for their care. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) allows people to try different options with their health care plan. “Complementary and Alternative Medicine refers to a series of medical and health care practices and products that are not an integral part of conventional medicine due to insufficient proof of their safety and effectiveness” (Su & Li, 2011). CAM has been widely described as using treatments with conventional medicine and/or in place of conventional medicine. While there are many different types of CAM, some treatments are well known and used in the United States. Research has shown that “CAM has increasingly been accepted in the United States and all over the world” (Frass, 2012). Some of those treatments include acupuncture, use of a chiropractor, and herbal supplements. People are increasingly turning to CAM therapies because it will be shown that some CAMs are effective. However, people are not aware of the potential side effects because research is not readily available. People must keep in mind that there are potential risks involved with using any type of CAM. Those risks can include worsening of the condition or injury. In addition, recommendations for using CAM will

In the present day, medical practice has been regarded as dichotomized in the sense that, they are either categorized as “conventional or alternative” hence their medical backgrounds and respective practitioners many times are dependent against each other. A close observation shows that these categorizations are subjective and not made to conflict. Conventional medicine have formerly been known to utilize natural resources while home remedies have for a long period been prepared using a boost of untested value as they are administered without professional supervision or prescription (Hassed, 405).