There are five types of alternative medicine that are commonly used as complementary alternative treatments. While your Western doctor may not approve of you relying completely on alternative treatments, he or she may encourage you to pursue complementary alternative medicine as a supplemental form of therapy in support of the Western treatment plan prescribed. The following five types of alternative medicine are commonly used to support Western medicine.
Naturopathy
Naturopathy is medicine based on dietary modifications and the use of natural substances to promote health. Herbs, plants, minerals and naturally occurring substances are administered to address medical concerns and to preserve health.
Chiropractic Medicine
Chiropractic medicine is based on the principal that our skeletal system must be properly aligned for the body to function healthfully. This medical practice relies on the manipulation of the skeletal system to address health issues and prevent health complications.
Ayurveda
Ayurvedic medicine rests on the foundational idea that our bodies, like everything in the universe as a whole, are interconnected and rely on the maintenance of balance. Ayurvedic medicine purports the necessity of maintaining balance between the three doshas: pitta, vata and kapha. This is done through lifestyle and dietary choices. Through making the proper lifestyle and dietary choices, we maintain the balance and stimulate the body's ability to heal itself.
Homeopathy
Homeopathic remedies are based on a "like heals like" philosophy. Homeopaths dilute substances and then administer extreme microdoses to stimulate healing and health. Many scientists question the rationale behind homeopathic remedies, but homeopaths claim these microdoses work on a spiritual and energetic plane, not just on a physical plane.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a medical practice rooted in the Asian philosophy that energy flows through the body along predetermined channels, and the blockage of this energy flow results in health complications. Fine needles are inserted in very specific places on the body to stimulate points correlated with the above-mentioned energy flow in order to encourage the body to heal itself. Acupuncture is used for a variety of medical conditions, but perhaps the most common reasons to seek acupuncture is for pain management, reduction of nausea, the enhancement of circulation flow, and overcoming addictions.
 | The concepts of complementary alternative medicine can be more than a little confusing, but it can be easy to sort through the terminology. |
 | The history of alternative medicine, in some cases, reaches back thousands of years. |
Western vs alternative medicine comparison yields very different philosophies to medicine. |
The healing benefits of alternative medicine are not only celebrated by patients. Even Western doctors are starting to recommend a blend of traditional and alternative methods. |
Some types of complementary medicine have proven so effective that even Western doctors are beginning to recommend their use in combination with traditional medical care. |
