Complimentary and Alternative medicine: The popular options

Lost faith in your regular Doctor? Tired of shelling out big bucks for painful and intrusive diagnostic procedures? Fed up of the side effects associated with almost every type of regular medication?

You’re not the only one. No doubt, Western medicine is making significant strides in analysis and management of unusual diseases, but quite a few people are now waking up to the effects of that same medicine on the human body.

Nothing comes free, if ya want the treatment ya got ta lump the side effects.

So if a choice is available promising better results with lesser side effects, I’ll probably jump at it. And that’s just what’s happening. According to The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the number of Americans using alternative therapies rose from 60 million in 1990 to 83 million in 1997.Quite a few of these therapies were used for centuries, but lost popularity with the dawn of modern medicine.

So why are they now recapturing favor?

We’ve lost faith in conventional medicine due to rising health care costs, secondary hospital infections, Physician and hospital negligence, and malpractice.

However, complementary medicine works on the principle that prevention is the key to a healthy body. So many complementary and alternative medical care practioners guide patients on lifestyle changes, dieting and exercises, which are aimed at strengthening the body and encouraging the natural healing processes of your body.

What are the types of alternative and complementary medicine available?

The National Institute of health uses five categories to classify types of CAM therapy:

· Healing systems like ayurveda, naturopathy, homeopathy and traditional American –Indian, Tibetan, Chinese and Asian healing practices.

· Mind- body connections of biofeedback, prayer, meditation and yoga.

· Dietary supplements and herbs

· Manipulation and touch therapies of osteotherapy and acupressure.

· Energy therapies of Reiki, magnet therapy, polarity therapy and light therapy.

So what’s the catch?

When you fall sick, its sometimes difficult to get well. Sometimes there is no treatment available especially for incurable conditions like cancer and AIDS. And people will try to take advantage of your fear.

Complementary medicine, like yoga, may improve your health, but they’re not a bunch of magic beans. Beware of conmen promising

· secret formulas

· amazing breakthroughs or miracle cures.

· easy weight loss

· quick, painless, or guaranteed cures.

So are you willing to be the manufactures guinea pig in the hope of finding the cure for a disease.Or is the entire range of CAM simply a Health scam taking advantage of your fear of disease?