What Exactly Is Alternative Medicine?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Alternative medicine is any practice that aims

to achieve the healing effects of medicine

, but which lacks biological plausibility and is untested, untestable or proven ineffective.

Why is alternative medicine bad?

Alternative and complementary therapy can pose dangers

Some concerns include: Delaying surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or other traditional treatment by using an alternative therapy

can allow the cancer to grow and spread to other parts of the body

.

What is the purpose of alternative medicines?

Alternative medicine is any practice that aims

to achieve the healing effects of medicine

, but which lacks biological plausibility and is untested, untestable or proven ineffective.

How is alternative medicine defined?

Listen to pronunciation. (all-TER-nuh-tiv MEH-dih-sin) Treatments

that are used instead of standard treatments

. Standard treatments are based on the results of scientific research and are currently accepted and widely used.

Which is an example of an alternative medication?

Examples of alternative practices include

homeopathy, traditional medicine, chiropractic, and acupuncture

. Complementary medicine is different from alternative medicine. Whereas complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine.

What are the side effects of alternative medicine?

The potential sensitizing capacity of numerous herbal remedies may lead to

allergic contact dermatitis

and more rarely to IgE-mediated clinical symptoms. Mechanical injuries may be observed following acupuncture leading to pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade or spinal injury.

Can doctors recommend alternative medicine?

Doctors say that

alternative medicine remains scientifically unproven

, and therefore cannot be trusted. What these doctors don’t say is that many of the everyday medical practices and treatments are also scientifically unproven, but that doesn’t stop doctors from prescribing them.

Is alternative medicine cheaper?

Cost savings: According to the European Pharmaceutical Review, some data has indicated that

alternative medicine therapies may be less expensive than conventional medical treatments

. Given the often onerous costs of conventional health care, it’s not surprising that employees might be looking for ways to save.

Are holistic doctors real doctors?

Holistic medicine is a whole-body approach to healthcare. … Other

holistic practitioners are not “real” medical doctors

. They may be called “doctor” in their field, but they aren’t licensed to practice medicine. In general, holistic medicine isn’t meant to be used in place of traditional medical care.

What are the disadvantages of medicine?

The risks of medicines are the

possible unwanted or unexpected effects that might happen to you when you use them

. Risks can be minor, like a mild upset stomach, or more serious, such as an increased risk of bleeding or liver damage.

Is yoga a form of alternative medicine?

Yoga is a healing system of theory and practice, its a combination of breathing exercises, physical postures, and meditation, practiced for over 5,000 years.

What is the most popular alternative medicine?

  • Acupuncture – One of the better known alternative healing therapies is acupuncture. …
  • Acupressure – Acupressure just like acupuncture works on the principal of various specific points being energy centers of the human body.

What’s another word for alternative medicine?

The terms alternative medicine, complementary medicine,

integrative medicine

, holistic medicine, natural medicine, unorthodox medicine, fringe medicine, unconventional medicine, and new age medicine are used interchangeably as having the same meaning and are almost synonymous in most contexts.

What are the five major domains of alternative medicine?

The five domains are: (1)

alternative medical systems, (2) mind-body interventions, (3) biologi- cally-based treatments, (4) manipulative and body-based methods, and (5) en- ergy therapies

.

What are the 5 major types of complementary and alternative medicine?

  • Alternative medical systems,
  • Mind-body interventions,
  • Biologically based treatments,
  • Manipulative and body-based methods, and.
  • Energy therapies.

Is alternative medicine safe?

As long as alternative treatments are used alongside conventional treatments, the majority of medical doctors find most forms of

complementary medicine acceptable

.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.