The Nature of Alternative Medicine
by Hokatta Sutoon
The nature of medicine has carried a distinctive regional difference for as long as we can remember. Western medicine has differed greatly from Eastern approaches. Now, however, Eastern approaches are coming forward under the title of alternative medicine.
The use of alternative medicine in western countries has traditionally been very limited. The application of such an approach would have been laughable in the 1940s. Now, it is being used by a sizeable percentage of the population.
When it comes to sweeping terms, alternative medicine is certainly one. It can include everything from massage, herb treatments, meditation and even prayer. This grab bag approach has led to an argument over what exactly alternative medicine means.
On one side of the dispute, you have medical professionals who believe anything that is not from the European medical model and evidence based is alternative medicine. For example, herbalism would fall under alternative medicine in their opinion.
On the other side of the ledger are medical professionals who mock the alternative title. They suggest a medical approach must be evidence driven. It either works or it does not. If it works, than it is part of mainstream medicine regardless of where it came from.
Given the disputed approach, which one wins out? The answer has yet to be determined and is somewhat semantic when you think about it. For regular folk, however, alternative medicine is a viable health care treatment.
Regardless of how you define alternative medicine, there is little doubt it is growing in popularity. Over fifty percent of all adults in American have used it. Not just accepted it, but actually used it.
A majority of adults do not forgo Western style medicine when using alternative medical approaches. Instead, they use them to compliment each other.
While alternative approaches are more accepted, the acceptance is limited to certain areas. The most popular alternative medications and treatments are in areas where re-occurring pain is a problem.
The doctor-patient relationship is one of trust and credibility in western medicine. Oddly, this seems discounted when it comes to alternative medicine. Simply put, most people do not consult with an alternative medicine specialist before trying it out.
Looking at the issue a different way, we find a distinct division between the sexes. Men are far less likely to turn to alternative medical approaches than are women. There is no clear basis as to why.
At the end of the day, the exact nature of alternative medicine is somewhat irrelevant. What is clear is people are becoming more receptive to its use as a mainstream solution. One must wonder if it can really be called alternative any more.
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