COMPLIMENTARYAND ALTERNATIVE

MEDICINE

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• Complementary and alternative medicine as defined by NCCAM, is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine

• The name ‘complementary medicine’ developed as the two systems began to be used alongside (to complement)each other.

Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. Example using aromatherapy to help lessen a patient’s discomfort following surgery.

Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. Example using a special diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a conventional doctor.

MAJOR TYPES OF COMPLIMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINEBIOLOGICALLY BASED THERAPIES

MANIPULATIVE AND BODY BASED THERAPIES

MIND- BODY INTERVENTIONS

ALTERNATIVE MEDICAL SYSTEMS

ENERGY THERAPIES

Dietary supplements A dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco) taken by mouth that contains a “dietary ingredient” intended to supplement the diet.

• Dietary ingredients may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, and metabolites.

• Dietary supplements come in many forms, including extracts, concentrates, tablets, capsules, gel caps, liquids, and powders. They have special requirements for labelling.

Omega 3 oil as an anti-inflammatory--used to treat neuropathy

High dose vitamin, mineral and antioxidant therapy to build immune system and slow disease progression

Vitamin therapy--treats wasting, lack of appetite, malabsorption of nutrients

Chinese herbs to treat diarrhea

Massage:- therapists manipulate muscle and connective tissue to enhance function of those tissues and promote relaxation and well-being.

• Enhance immune function• Reduce musculoskeletal pain• Increase lymph flow• Decrease anxiety, increase self-

esteem and positive body image.• Provide human touch

Chiropractic:- It focuses on the relationship between bodily structure (primarily that of the spine) and function, and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health

It gives relief from musculo-skeletal complaints

• Osteopathic medicine is a form of conventional medicine that, in part, emphasizes diseases arising in the musculoskeletal system.

There is an underlying belief that all of the body’s systems work together, and disturbances in one system may affect function elsewhere in the body.

• Qi gong is a component of traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement, meditation, and regulation of breathing to enhance the flow of qi (an ancient term given to what is believed to be vital energy) in the body, improve blood circulation, and enhance immune function.

• Reiki is a Japanese word representing Universal Life Energy. Reiki is based on the belief that when spiritual energy is channelled through a Reiki practitioner, the patient’s spirit is healed, which in

turn heals the physical body.

Homeopathic medicine. In homeopathic medicine, there is a belief that “like cures like,” meaning that small, highly diluted quantities of medicinal substances are given to cure symptoms, when the same substances given at higher or more concentrated doses would actually cause those symptoms.

Ayurveda:-A medical system that has been practiced primarily in the Indian subcontinent for 5,000 years. Ayurveda includes diet and herbal remedies and emphasizes the use of body, mind, and spirit in disease prevention and treatment.

Naturopathy:- It proposes that there is a healing power in the body that establishes, maintains, and restores health. Practitioners work with the patient with a goal of supporting this power, through treatments such as nutrition and lifestyle counselling, dietary supplements, medicinal plants, exercise, homeopathy.

Treatment of nausea with ginger

Immune enhancement agents

Hyperthermia to increase immune functioning

WHY PEOPLE USE CAM?Changing needs and values in modern

society. Rise in prevalence of chronic

diseases.Increase in public access to worldwide

health information.Reduced tolerance for paternalism. An increased sense of entitlement to

quality life. Declining faith that scientific

breakthrough will have relevance for the personal treatment of disease.

An increased interest in spiritualism.

CAM IN INDIA Complementary and alternative medicinal

systems are popular in India, with Ayurveda being the most popular.

CAM is mostly associated with the treatment of chronic diseases.

The term “Ayurveda” combines the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge).

It is one of the oldest systems of medicine in the world.

Ayurvedic treatment is non-invasive and non-toxic, so it can be used safely as an alternative therapy or alongside conventional therapies.

It can also help stress-related, metabolic, and chronic conditions.

Ayurveda has been used to treat acne, allergies, asthma, anxiety, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, colds, colitis, constipation, depression, diabetes, flu, heart disease, hypertension, immune problems, inflammation, insomnia, nervous disorders, obesity, skin problems, and ulcers.

TYPES OF TREATMENT The treatment of disease can broadly be

classified as Shodhana therapy (Purification Treatment) Shamana therapy (Palliative Treatment) Pathya Vyavastha (Prescription of diet and

activity) NidanParivarjan (Avoidance of disease

causing and aggravating factors) Satvavajaya(Psychotherapy) Rasayana (immunomodulators and

rejuvenation medicines)

PANCHKARMA• Panchakarma is cleansing of body

according to Ayurveda.•  Panchakarma is a therapeutic way of

eliminating toxic elements from the body. 

FIVE ELEMENTS VamanaVirechana BastiNasya Raktamokshana

Significant Research Contributions

Plant / Formulations Indication

Arogyawardhini/ kutaki Hepatitis

Kapikacchu Parkinson’s Diseases

Yograj Guggulu Rheumatoid arthritis

Amrut Bhallatak Osteoarthritis

Haridra Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Parijat Malaria

Ashoka Menorrhagia

CURRENT HEALTH CARE SCENARIO Western Allopathy Medicine transformed into Mainstream

Modern Medicine. In many developed countries, 70% to 80% of the

population has used some form of alternative or complementary medicine.

In some Asian and African countries, 80% of the

population depend on traditional medicine for primary

health care

More than 100 countries have regulations for herbal

medicines

WHO has projected that the global herbal market will

grow to $5 trillion by 2050

• In India more than 500 million people use AYUSH

medicines

• Worldwide, the Ayurvedic industry is put at US $3

billion

• Ayurvedic doctors(>500,000), Drug companies

(>8,000), Hospitals (>2500), Colleges (> 250) in

India

• Standardization of Ayurvedic products, practices,

training demand more thrust in quality

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