The field of complementary and alternative medicine encompasses a vast number of practices and systems of health care that, for a variety of cultural, social, economic, or scientific reasons, have not been adopted by conventional medicine.
Conventional medicine is sometimes referred to as allopathic medicine. The term allopathy is derived from the Greek allo, meaning opposite, and pathos, meaning suffering. In general, conventional medicine tends to focus on the disease and employs techniques to oppose it. For example, conventional medicine manages high blood pressure with medications ("antihypertensives") that lower blood pressure; it treats bacterial infections with drugs ("antibiotics") that kill the invading organisms; and for cancer, it employs chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery to remove a malignant tumor or eradicate cancerous cells.
A number of alternative and complementary therapies operate via this allopathic framework, including many of the biologic and pharmacologic approaches to treating cancer and other disorders (see below). Other methods derive from distinctly different origins and reflect concepts of health and disease that vary greatly from those of Western medicine. Among such practices are Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, homeopathy, and naturopathy. Of those practices that have evolved from other, non-Western cultural traditions, there is often no correspondence with Western concepts of disease. For example, the notions of cancer and infectious disease have no parallels in Traditional Chinese Medicine, although the system can be used to treat such conditions.
Many complementary and alternative treatments involve difficult changes in lifestyle or outlook. Some involve bad-tasting herbs or even animal-based remedies. Conventional medicine is probably better than most complementary and alternative treatments at achieving quick fixes. However, complementary and alternative medicine is worth exploring as a source of both new treatments and new perspectives on health and disease, and for approaches to reinforcing the individual's "life force", balance, and harmony with the environment.
Conventional medicine is sometimes referred to as allopathic medicine. The term allopathy is derived from the Greek allo, meaning opposite, and pathos, meaning suffering. In general, conventional medicine tends to focus on the disease and employs techniques to oppose it. For example, conventional medicine manages high blood pressure with medications ("antihypertensives") that lower blood pressure; it treats bacterial infections with drugs ("antibiotics") that kill the invading organisms; and for cancer, it employs chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery to remove a malignant tumor or eradicate cancerous cells.
A number of alternative and complementary therapies operate via this allopathic framework, including many of the biologic and pharmacologic approaches to treating cancer and other disorders (see below). Other methods derive from distinctly different origins and reflect concepts of health and disease that vary greatly from those of Western medicine. Among such practices are Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, homeopathy, and naturopathy. Of those practices that have evolved from other, non-Western cultural traditions, there is often no correspondence with Western concepts of disease. For example, the notions of cancer and infectious disease have no parallels in Traditional Chinese Medicine, although the system can be used to treat such conditions.
Many complementary and alternative treatments involve difficult changes in lifestyle or outlook. Some involve bad-tasting herbs or even animal-based remedies. Conventional medicine is probably better than most complementary and alternative treatments at achieving quick fixes. However, complementary and alternative medicine is worth exploring as a source of both new treatments and new perspectives on health and disease, and for approaches to reinforcing the individual's "life force", balance, and harmony with the environment.
