September 16, 2007

The Roots Of Alternative Medicine

Tip! The principle of holistic alternative medicine is that a pathogen, a virus or bacteria, for instance, is not the cause of illness, but rather that illness is the consequence of the body’s reaction to the pathogen. Naturopathic and holistic alternative medicine practitioners threat their patients with methods that alleviate the symptoms of the disease.

Alternative medicine and modern medicine have may differences and whose to say which is best? Today, we expect doctors and medicines to fix whatever ails us instantly and doctors only look at the current physical problem when diagnosing our needs.

Alternative or holistic medicine, on the other hand, takes many different factors into consideration before prescribing a cure. This type of healing has been in use for thousands of years and can be very effective. It concerns itself not only with the physical problem, but with the problems of the “whole” self.

Tip! Naturopathic medicine: Is a practice that is designed to stimulate the body’s own healing system. This system utilizes multiple forms of alternative medicine.

Alternative medicine includes massage, therapy, herbal tea, herbal medicine and millions of people today still use these types of treatments instead of or in addition to modern medicine.

Different cultures have had their own specific types of alternative medicine and many different types of treatments. Many of these treatments have survived and are still effective today. In fact, massage, which many people swear by in the modern world is actually one of the oldest forms of alternative medicine and records of massage therapy date back to ancient Egypt.

In ancient Europe there were two types of healers, the professional physicians and the folk healers. The folk healers lived in the lower class and healed the people of each village who could not afford the expensive physicians. These people believed in the folk treatment and it worked for them. This type of situation also occurred in many other cultures.

In Western culture, philosophy was frequently used to assist the folk healers in their quest for a holistic treatment. Philosophy was important because it told the stories of their lives. With a twist of philosophy and religion as well as belief, they easily found the best treatment available for whatever it was that was ailing the villagers of this time.

Tip! With increasing research and new findings in medicine there is a universal rise in the Western nations of alternative medicine. In the Eastern part of the world, namely the Orient, some forms of alternative medicine has been practiced for many centuries.

We now have a more advanced or instantaneous form of medical treatment, but alternative medicine can still be very effective. Massage, aromatherapy, acupuncture, herbal, humor therapy, meditation, and many other forms of holistic healing are used every day. In fact some of these treatments have become so popular that they are no longer considered alternative medicine and they are now supported by modern physicians.

Although the theory of alternative medicine has been ridiculed throughout the centuries , it has survived for one reason - It works. Alternative treatments may not work as fast as the treatments that we have today, but these natural types of treatments can be better for you overall, if you just give them a chance.

Tip! Osteopathy: Was originally a form of alternative medicine based on manipulation of the joints. It is still used for chronic back pain.

Lee Dobbins enjoys learning and writing about herbs, home remedies and alternative treatments. Please visit http://www.herbs-home-remedies.com for more on alternative healing.

Bookmark to: