 |
Alternative medical systems are complete systems of diagnosis and practice.
Ayurveda:
Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, originated > 4000 yr ago. It is based on the theory that disease results from an imbalance of the body's life force (prana). The balance of prana is determined by equilibrium of the 3 bodily qualities (doshas): vata, pitta, and kapha. Most people have a dominant dosha; the specific balance is unique to each person. Ayurveda uses herbs, massage, yoga, and therapeutic elimination—typically with enemas, oil massages, or nasal lavage—to restore balance within the body and with nature.
Homeopathy:
Developed in Germany in the late 1700s, homeopathy is based on the principle that like cures like. A substance that, when given in large doses, causes a set of symptoms is believed to cure the same symptoms when it is given in minute doses.
Remedies used in homeopathy are derived from naturally occurring substances, such as plant extracts and minerals. Extremely low concentrations are prepared in a specific way. The more dilute the homeopathic medicine, the stronger it is considered to be.
Traditional scientists can find no scientific explanation for how the diluted remedies used in homeopathy could cure disease. Some solutions are so dilute that they contain no molecules of the “active” ingredient. However, homeopathy has few risks; rarely, an allergic or toxic reaction occurs.
Naturopathy:
This therapy began as a formal health care system in the US during the early 1900s. Founded on the healing power of nature, naturopathy emphasizes prevention and treatment of disease through a healthy lifestyle, treatment of the whole patient, and use of the body's natural healing abilities. This system also focuses on finding the cause of a disease rather than merely treating symptoms. Some of this system's principles are not that different from those of modern Western medicine.
Naturopathy uses a combination of therapies, including acupuncture, counseling, exercise therapy, herbal medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, natural childbirth, nutrition, physical medicine, and guided imagery.
Traditional
Chinese medicine:
Originating > 2000 yr ago, traditional Chinese medicine is based on the theory that disease results from improper flow of the life force (qi). Qi is restored by balancing the opposing forces of yin and yang, which manifest in the body as heat and cold, external and internal, and deficiency and excess. Various practices (eg, acupuncture, herbal remedies, massage, meditation) are used to preserve and restore health.
Acupuncture, a therapy within traditional Chinese medicine, is one of the most widely accepted alternative therapies in the Western world. Specific points on the body are stimulated, usually by inserting thin needles into the skin and underlying tissues. Sometimes additional stimulation is added by using a very low voltage electrical current, by twisting the needle, or by warming the needle. Stimulating these specific points is believed to unblock the flow of qi along energy pathways (meridians) and thus restore balance between yin and yang. The procedure is not painful but may cause a tingling sensation. A variation of acupuncture, called acupressure, uses localized massage instead of needles to stimulate acupuncture points. Acupuncturists are licensed to practice after receiving 3000 h of training and passing a state board examination; some medical doctors, often pain specialists, perform acupuncture after about 300 h of training. Licensure varies by state. Research has shown that acupuncture releases various neurotransmitters (eg, endorphins) that act as natural painkillers. Reasonable evidence supports the effectiveness of acupuncture as a pain reliever, an antinauseant, and an antiemetic. However, acupuncture is ineffective for smoking cessation and weight loss. Adverse effects are rare if the procedure is done correctly. Worsening of symptoms (usually temporary) and fainting are the most common. Infection is extremely rare; most practitioners use disposable needles.
Last full review/revision November 2005
Content last modified November 2005
| |
