What is Alternative Medicine?

Alternative medicine is becoming a popular choice for health-conscious individuals, yet many of them are unsure just exactly what the term encompasses. Many of them have even asked their doctors, “What is alternative medicine?”, yet they get no clear answer.

Basically, alternative medicine is any sort of therapy or treatment that is used instead of the type of medical attention most of us grew up with. You know the routine… you feel unwell, make an appointment with your doctor, and go to his office. You sit in the waiting area with a group of other sick people, hoping that none of them are too contagious. Finally, you are called back to see the doctor. You leave with a prescription or two, stop at the drugstore to get your prescriptions filled, and go home to bed. In a few days, you may or may not feel halfway human again.

Would you like to know what alternative medicine is? Think of alternative medicine as a tree trunk with many branches. The branches are the different practices that together as a whole make up alternative medicine. You have a wide variety to choose from, based on the symptoms of your illness. What is alternative medicine used for? It’s not only for when you are ill, but when you want to improve your health

What is alternative medicine also known as in the natural medicine world? A few of the most used and recommended branches of alternative medicine include –

• Acupuncture
• Homeopathy
• Herbal Medicine
• Naturopathy
• Chiropractic

Acupuncture uses fine needles to regulate the energy of the body into a more cohesive pattern, and is used for many types of sicknesses and well-being issues.

Homeopathy works under the assumption that the body can be cured of anything that is wrong with it by using just a tiny amount of material from nature, such as herbs or flowers, that would create symptoms of an illness in man or beast. By doing this, the body rallies, and begins to heal itself.

Herbal medicine is the use of any part of a plant, from its roots to its leaves, as an aid to relieving sicknesses and pain, as well as promoting feelings of calm and well-being.

Naturopathy does merely treat routine illnesses. People who have embraced naturopathy as a form of alternative medicine believe that the body is able to heal itself, and that nature can play a huge role in a person’s overall health.

Chiropractic does not heal. By adjusting the spine, a chiropractor clears the nerve pathways in the body, allowing the body to make itself well.

What is alternative medicine? It’s a way of life for many people, and its natural remedies continue to draw seekers from all walks of life.