Difference between Conventional and Alternative Medicine

Q. What is the difference between alternative medicine and
conventional medicine?

Most of the well known alternative medicine follow six core principles
and practices that differ from the principles and practices of
conventional allopathic medicine.



They are:

1. The healing power of nature
   
   
   Alternative medicines are founded on a deep belief in the healing
   power of nature. Alternative medical providers accept that within us
   is a natural ability to heal, an inherent recuperative power that is
   the key to all healing. Biomedicine or conventional medicine has
   historically tried to reduce the healing process to a series of
   physiological, physical interventions.
   
   
   
   A very common example is the rampant use of antibiotics for
   illnesses in children. The alternative therapist would perhaps like
   to use medications which bolster the immune system of the child
   rather than use an antibiotic to just suppress the infection.
   
   
   
   
2. ‘Patient centered’ rather than ‘physician
   centered'
   
   Biomedicine is more ‘physician centered,’ in which the
   doctor's opinions and beliefs are considered more important than the
   patient's. Alternative medicine, on the other hand, is ‘patient
   centered,’ in which the feelings, beliefs, and the opinions of
   the patient are essential elements in the treatment and
   decision-making process. High quality alternative medicine is
   founded on a deep appreciation of the wonder and mystery of being a
   unique human being.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Results generally take longer
   
   One primary goal of alternative medicine is to stimulate the body's
   natural healing response and to let nature take its course. Due to
   this reason the rate of healing is slower than the conventional
   system of allopathic treatment.
   
   
   
   
4. Use of natural and whole substances
   
   Many alternative treatments use natural substances such as herbs,
   botanicals, homeopathic, nutritional supplements, and whole foods.
   
   
   
   There is a general belief among naturopathic doctors that the use
   of whole or natural products to treat maladies helps the healing
   process better than their synthesized counterparts.
   
   
   
   
5. Higher standard of health
   
   Conventional medicine practitioners have usually seen health as ‘the
   absence of disease’, from where the common philosophy arises
   that "if you are not sick and you do not need to go to the
   doctor". People would go to their doctors for an annual check
   up and be given a clean bill of health. Assessment of an
   individual's health is by the results of the physical examination
   giving no or very little consideration to life-style factors such as
   diet, exercise, or personal or psychological issues.
   
   
   
   In contrast, alternative medical systems work on the premise that
   health is a dynamic process. Other factors ranging from the strength
   of a person's ‘vital energy’ to how happy the person is in
   his or her personal and professional life are also considered. Even
   a person's religious and spiritual concerns are all carefully
   addressed when assessing health and well-being.
   
   
   
   

Q. Is alternative medicine safe?


World Health Organization's (WHO) Guidelines for the Assessment of
Herbal Medicines, states that a substance's historical use is a valid
way to document safety and efficacy in the absence of scientific
evidence to the contrary. You can reasonably assume that licensed
alternative providers use treatments and techniques that are safe when
used correctly. If you have a question about a particular treatment or
remedy recommended by an alternative health care practitioner, ask both
that practitioner and other experts to provide you with as much
information as necessary to determine if you can personally have
confidence in the recommended treatment.



Q. Will alternative medicine work for me?

The answer to this question lies in what are your expectations from
alternative medicine. Most of the times we are approaching alternative
therapist after we have tried allopathy for long and our condition for
which we are seeking treatment is rather advanced. It is with this thing
in mind that you should approach alternative medicine.




Any system of medicine cannot guarantee success for every condition.
Each system of medicine has certain health conditions for which it is
best suited and some health conditions for which it would be the
treatment of last choice. This is true for conventional as well as
alternative medicine. For example, Chinese herbs and acupuncture
medicines, have a long and respected history of treating conditions of
infertility and impotence in less drastic and more natural ways than
conventional medicines. The key to success with alternative medicine is
to make sure you have all the accurate information you need from around
the world about treating your health conditions. It will also guide you
on how to ‘live well’ while coping with your health condition,
thus embracing life.