What is Alternative Medicine?
When we say “medicine” we usually refer to the type of care one gets in the office of an M.D. or in a hospital. This care usually includes scientific diagnosis and treatment with pharmaceutical drugs or surgery. This is the excellent medicine, based on research and technology, that we have the good fortune to enjoy. This medicine saves and restores lives and fights diseases.Many of these treatments have not been tested by modern research standards and are therefore not included in the current standards of care, nor are they taught in most conventional medical schools. Treatments may include ingredients not protected by the FDA. Many of these treatments, such as Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, have been healing mankind worldwide for thousands of years; some of these treatments are in the forefront of what will become part of mainstream medicine. For instance, acupuncture is now used as an anesthesia technique during surgeries.Let’s look at how a broken arm would be treated by a team of complementary practitioners. An orthopedic surgeon would likely set the bone, and X-rays and surgery would insure proper alignment. The complementary aspect kicks in when a nutritionist suggests adding calcium to the diet to help speed bone mending. An herbalist might suggest herbs for the same reason. And perhaps an acupuncturist or chiropractor might be consulted to restore and realign structural integrity of the “flow” of energy as Chinese medicine might diagnose.
