Alternative medicine broadly describes methods and practices used in place of, or in addition to, conventional medical treatments. The precise scope would depend upon what is included in the category of ‘conventional treatment’. This debate is complicated by the variety of treatment available under the rubric of ‘alternative medicine’. It might include spiritual, metaphysical, or religious underpinnings; non-European medical traditions; newly developed approaches to healing; and a number of others. Proponents of one usually reject the curative value of other systems. The prevalence of, and scientific acceptance of, Western systems like Allopathy have the tendency to negate the curative values of alternative systems.
Nevertheless, alternative medicine remains hugely popular, and despite regulations, is practiced worldwide. The practicing figures vary from 30% to 60% (depending on what is included; some include even ‘prayers’) in Western countries like UK and the USA. Concerns regarding the safety and utility remain, but advocacy covers a range of areas such as patient empowerment, alternative methods of pain management, treatment methods that support the biopsychosocial model of health, cures for specific health concerns, stress reduction services, other preventive health services that are not typically a part of conventional medicine, and of course complementary medicine's palliative care.
Today alternative medicine is a big and hot topic. There are many practitioners and advocates, numerous research are being done, new systems are getting popularized, many medicines are breaching the commercial threshold, numerous specialty institutions are being opened and through other related events, alternative medicine is constantly a topic of much celebration. Alternative medicinal systems like Acupuncture, Acupressure, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Laughter therapy or Yoga have thousands of followers around the world. This section takes you where you want to go, whether it is a research you are doing, or looking for a hospital in your neighborhood.