Alternative and complementary medication have become a major concern to the healthcare community such that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has set up a specific agency dedicated to scientific research into non-conventional treatments. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative medicine (NCCAM) uses science and research to investigate complementary and alternative practices for healing, including natural cures as well as other practices and activities reviewed in this article.
The phrase “alternative medicine” alludes to the practice of healthcare that are utilized in lieu of conventional or normal medicine. As an example, using a tailored diet to treat malignancy in lieu of undergoing a treatment of radiotherapy or chemotherapy is alternative medication. Complementary medication is different from alternative medication. Complementary medication is used together with conventional medication. Using nutritional supplements for diabetes as well as mainstream medical treatment is an example of a type of complementary medicine.
Complementary and alternative medication includes a variety of medical systems. Eastern societies have used traditional Chinese medication, Ayurveda, and acupuncture for hundreds of years. Homeopathic medication and naturopathic medication are more recent alternative medical systems.
Mind-body medication utilizes techniques such as meditation, art, mental healing, and dance to enhance the mind’s ability to affect the functioning and healing of the body. Clinical depression may responds well to these techniques.
Food supplements, herbs, and vitamins are natural remedies used in complementary and alternative therapies. For illustration, research shows that leaves and flowers of the hawthorn tree are safe and effective for treating mild heart failure. Flaxseed oil can be used to treat arthritis, while ginger decreases pregnancy-related queasiness and vomiting. NCCAM continues to research the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on heart disease.
Chiropractic, massage therapy, and osteopathic manipulation involve moving parts of the body to re-establish alignment, relax the body, and support curative. Energy medicine uses invisible energy fields for curative. Reiki, therapeutic touch, and the use of electromagnetic fields are examples of energy medicine. Reiki is a 20th century Japanese curative art in which the practitioner places his or her hands just above the body of the person being treated. In addition to promoting overall health and well being, Reiki can provide relief from the side effects of mainstream medical treatments such as chemotherapy.
NCCAM finances research on complementary and alternative approaches to obesity. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, affecting kids as well as adults. A lot of health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, that had formerly been seen typically in adults have now become normal in kids and adolescents. The complexity of obesity warrants a multi-faceted line of attack to prevention and treatment.
The NCCAM urges people who are utilizing complementary, alternative, and natural cures to tell their MD’s. Doctors need to be aware about other remedies because of potential conflicts with mainstream therapies. For illustration, certain natural remedies interact with prescription medications and may result in the patient experiencing some unwanted symptoms or sides effects.
There is another reason to talk about complementary and alternative treatments with MD’s. Increasingly, MD’s educated in conventional medication understand the healing power of other approaches. A lot of them are knowledgeable about complementary and alternative therapies and willing to work with patients who are interested in using natural remedies and treatments and other non-mainstream ways of curing.