Traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine
Yann Joly, Bartha Maria Knoppers in Routledge Handbook of Medical Law and Ethics, 2014
What then, might be a better approach? The World Health Organization offers the following somewhat diffident definitions of traditional medicine, complementary medicine, and alternative medicine: Traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness.The terms ‘complementary medicine’ or ‘alternative medicine’ are used inter-changeably with traditional medicine in some countries. They refer to a broad set of health care practices that are not part of that country’s own tradition and are not integrated into the dominant health care system.(2000: 1, emphasis added)3
What We Learn from the History of Ayurveda
D. Suresh Kumar in Ayurveda in the New Millennium, 2020
The highly developed nervous system of man favored the recognition of changes in one’s own body and perception of behavioral changes in other individuals of the same group (Fábrega 1997). This ability, coupled with the wealth of information gleaned from the behavior of wild animals and his own experiences, formed the basis of the medical system of primitive man. In their search for food, early human beings inevitably encountered toxic or therapeutic plants, depending on the amount ingested and the physique of the person. Herbal medicine can be said to have developed alongside adventures in determining the diet, and it can be inferred that herbal medicine is an offshoot of nutrition (Conway 2011). The primitive knowledge thus gained was expanded upon by learning and social transmission (Hart 2005, 2011). This gave rise to various forms of traditional healing, broadly called folk (traditional) medicine. Traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skills and practices based on the beliefs and experiences indigenous to various cultures used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness (Anonymous 2013). Folk medical practices do not have a theoretical foundation and are based on empirical knowledge.
Caregiving and Long-Term Health Care in the People's Republic of China
Scott A. Bass, Robert Morris in International Perspectives on State and Family Support for the Elderly, 2013
Primary health care stations are clinics operated in small quarters of existing public buildings or sometimes in separate structures. These stations are in small villages, and there are also larger clinics in the township (xiang). The village stations contain basic medical-examination features, but provide little privacy to the patient. Medical treatment includes traditional medicine (herbal medicine) and acupuncture. Treatment depends on the diagnosis and preference of the attending doctor and the patient. Minor illnesses and injuries are treated and immunizations administered (Hu, 1984). A typical staff includes two or three doctors and one or more nurses. The stations keep regular hours, but are also available on an emergency basis. There is great variance in the size and equipment of these stations. In wealthier areas, particularly in agricultural areas along the eastern coastal region, facilities are substantial and include equipment such as X-ray machines. In the poorer counties, there may be little more than a sparsely furnished room with no equipment. In the mid-1980s over half of these rural stations were privately operated by village doctors and only four percent supported by the state (Ministry of Public Health, 1986). In 1986 among the 7.38 million villages in China, there were approximately 6.48 million primary health stations (Liang & Gu, 1989, p. 277).
A comprehensive review of the ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities of the genus Kniphofia
Published in Pharmaceutical Biology, 2022
Gashaw Nigussie, Metasebia Tegegn, Dessalegn Abeje, Haregua Melak
Traditional medicine is defined by the WHO as the sum of all skills, knowledge, and practices based on theories, beliefs, and indigenous experiences of various cultures and used in health care for the prevention, diagnosis, improvement, and treatment of mental and physical disease (WHO 2013). Traditional medicine which is mainly based on plants has been frequently confirmed by phytochemical investigations, pharmacological studies and clinical tests initiating further studies on medicinal plants in different parts of the world (Nigussie et al. 2021). Traditional medicines, on the other hand, can have adverse side effects, thus additional studies are needed to ensure the efficacy and safety of traditional medicine and methods employed by traditional medicine practitioners and consumers. WHO has launched a nine-year strategic plan to support member states in developing proactive strategies and implementing action plans that strengthen the role of traditional medicine in keeping populations healthy (WHO 2013).
Knowledge level and attitude towards complementary and alternative treatment methods among medical students: a cross-sectional survey study in Turkey
Published in Current Medical Research and Opinion, 2020
Devrim Demir-Dora, Zinnet Şevval Aksoyalp, Cahit Nacitarhan
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines traditional medicine as the knowledge, skills, and practices based on theories, beliefs, and experience of different indigenous cultures and use in the maintenance of health or prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical or mental illnesses1. According to the Ministry of Health of Turkey, traditional and complementary medicine is a collection of knowledge, skills, and practices based on theories, beliefs, and experiences specific to different cultures and use in maintaining good health and prevention from diseases, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical or mental diseases2. In 2014, the Ministry of Health of Turkey published “The Regulation on Traditional and Complementary Medical Practices” to define the CAM methods used in human health practices, to educate and allow those who will apply them and to regulate the medical institutions where these methods will be practiced. These CAM methods were defined in the Appendix3. According to the federal regulations, only trained and certified physicians in the relevant fields are authorized along with dentists with limited use of CAM in their practices. Safe practices depend on strictly applying these regulations3.
Alternative medicine and herbal remedies in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: A systematic review
Published in Arab Journal of Urology, 2021
Kristian Leisegang, Renata Finelli
Complementary and alternative medicines, including dietary supplements and herbal remedies, are increasingly being used for treatment of ED, particularly through over-the-counter and internet sources [6,13,15,16]. These can be described as ‘a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine’ [17,18]. This is a broad definition, incorporating traditional medicine systems and modalities. Examples include herbal medicines (remedies) and dietary supplements, nutritional and lifestyle therapies, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, body therapies (such as massage, cupping and acupressure), homeopathy, mind–body techniques (such as meditation and yoga), energy medicine (such as reiki), and other traditional medicine disciplines such as Ayurveda, Unani and Naturopathy [18].
Related Knowledge Centers
- Alternative Medicine
- Ayurveda
- Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Unani Medicine
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- Siddha Medicine
- Ancient Iranian Medicine
- Iranian Traditional Medicine