Essays

Alternative Medicine is a kind of diagnostic technique and method of treatment whose theory develops from accepted medical methods. Alternative medicine is often treated as a substitute of conventional medical treatments. It includes treatments like Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Osteopathy, Unani, Acupuncture, Anthroposophic medicine, Chiropractic, Herbalism, Naturopathy, Yoga and Meditation, Hypnosis, and traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine. When alternative medicine is used in combination with conventional medicine for treatment, it is known as complementary medicine.

Alternative medicine is often opposed to evidence based medicine and encompasses therapies with a historical or cultural, rather than a scientific, basis. Alternative medicine practices are as diverse in their foundations as in thei methodologies, and they vary from country to country. Practices may incorporate or base themselves on traditional medicine, folk knowledge, spiritual beliefs, or newly conceived approaches to healing.

The advantages of alternative medicine are that they are often safe, without side effects and effective. However, the medical community and practitioners or allopathic medicine generally do not accept alternative medicine therapies because evidence-based assessment of safety and efficacy is either not available or has not been performed for these practices. Delay in seeking results is another common problem with alternative medicines.

Ayurveda is recognized as the oldest form of medicine. Native to India, Ayurveda is the ancient medicinal form, developed during the Vedic times, about 5000 years ago. The word 'Ayur' means life, while 'Veda' means science. Therefore, Ayurveda literally means the 'Science of Life'. It is not just a medicinal system, but also a way of life. Ayurveda deals with the physical, as well as spiritual health. The medicinal form is governed by the laws of nature, which suggest that life is a combination of senses, mind, body and soul, and that the stmctural aspect of every individual comprises five elements—earth. Water, fire, air and space.                                         

While giving Ayurvedic treatment to a person to cure a particular disease, the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being is taken into consideration. The Ayurvedic medicines generally come in the form of powders, tablets, decoctions, and medicated oils, that are prepared from natural herbs, plants and minerals. Traditional techniques and processes are used to prepare the medicines at home, while certain amount of mechanization is inevitably used for large-scale production. In their beauty of the therapeutics is that they contain the active principles Said to natural forms and their administration in prescribed doses are Said to cause no side effects to the patients.

Indian has gained worldwide recognition for its indigenous and extensive ayurvedic treatment. Various centers are established throughout the length and breadth of the country, wherein authentic Ayurvedic treatmentis given. Kerala is the hub of Ayurvedic treatments in India. Ayurvedic treatment's soothing effect on the body and soul has attracted tourists from different parts of the country as well as Iroin across the globe.

 Another popular form of alternative medicine is Homeopathy, Derived from Greek homoeo (meaning similar) and pathos (meaning Suffering) It is a system of medicine based on treating like with like. The same principle is widespread in mainstream medicine, the most Notable examples being antidotes and vaccines. However, Homeopathy .takes this premise a step further: if my symptoms produce an effect on me similar to a tarantula's bite, then tarantula venom would be my homeopathic treatment, even though I've not actually been bitten by a trarantula.

The theory that like can be treated with like can be traced back as for Hypocrites (468-377 BC), but it wasn't until the work of Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) that the theory developed into a usable practice. Hahneman’'s provings consisted in giving doses of various substances to both himself and his healthy volunteers, and noting the effects in Detail. For safety reasons, the substances taken were very dilute, and It is here that Hahnemann chanced upon one of the more puzzling aspects Of homeopathy. The more dilute a homeopathic medicine is, the more effectiveit is in treating illness.

hahneman's work was continued by James Tyier Kent in 1S77-78, who conducted  provings on some 650 materials, observing over 64,000 symptoms. Even today, Kent's is still the most widely used repertory in homeotathy. As a holistic medicine. Homeopathy aims to treat the whole person. It may seem unusual to those used to allopathic (conventional) medicine, where one medicine is taken for a skin complaint, another for a headache, and yet another for sleeplessness In addition to the range of symptoms which must be included in a case to find the right homeopathic remedy, precision is also important. For example, there are nearly 5,000 symptoms of headaches and a different remedy may be prescribed depending on when symptoms occur, the type of pain, where in the head it is, what may have bought it on, what other symptoms are experienced, etc.

Acupuncture refers to a family of procedures that originated in traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points on the body by a variety of techniques, including the insertion of thin metal needles though the skin. It is intended to remove blockages in the flow of qi and restore and maintain health.

Naturopathy, also called naturopathic medicine, is a whole medical system and is one of the systems of healing and beliefs that have evolved over time in different cultures and parts of the world. Naturopathy is rooted in health care approaches that were popular in Europe, especially in Germany, in the 19th century, but it also includes therapies (belli ancient and modern) from other traditions. It aims to support the body's ability to heal itself through the use of dietary and lifestyle changes together with therapies such as herbs, massage, and joint manipulation. Its emphasis is on supporting health rather than combating disease.

The word naturopathy comes from Greek and Latin and literally translates as 'nature disease'. A central belief in naturopathy is that nature has a healing power (a principle called vis medicatrix naturae). Another belief is that living organisms (including the human body) have the power to maintain (or return to) a state of balance and health, and to heal themselves. Practitioners of naturopathy prefer to use treatment approaches that they consider to be the most natural and least invasive, instead of using drugs and more invasive procedures.               

Naturopathy's popularity reached its peak in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s. However, its use began to decline when drugs (such as antibiotics) and other developments in conventional medicine moved to the forefront of health care. Naturopathy began to re-emerge in the 1970s, with increased consumer interest in 'holistic' health approaches and the founding of new naturopathic medical colleges. Today, naturopathy is practiced in a number of countries, including the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand.

The practice of naturopathy is based on six key principles: promote the healing power of nature, first do no harm, treat the whole person treat the cause, prevention is the best cure, and the physician is a teacher. Practitioners consider it important to educate their patients in taking r possibility for their own health. Naturopathic cure is sought by people for various health-related purposes, including primary care, support of wellness, and treatment of diseases and conditions (often chronic ones).