The utilization of the non-traditional medicine has been motivated by the efficiency that characterizes this model of managing illnesses. Alternative medicine focuses on products, therapies and diagnosis not mentioned in medical terms before the onset of the twentieth century. Nontraditional strategy includes modernized health care procedures such as the surgery practices in most of the western countries (Stern, 1997). Alternative medicine proposes interventions that contrast directly with those of conventional medicine. Often, there is complementary medicine that represents alternative medicine used together with the conventional.
Non-traditional health care services
Development of the alternative medicines has improved the quality of life considerably. Presently, non-traditional healthcare services include various classes of medicinal products. Initially, Biofields present popular products of non-traditional healthcare strategies. The utilization of biofield emanates with the need of adopting therapies that yield increased energy components in the body increasingly. For example, acupunctures are important alternative medicines used for this purpose. These medicines are highly recommended in the management of various illnesses of the contemporary world (Park, 2002).
The idea of alternative medical assumes a unique dimension within the Asian population. For example, this community believes that health control is influenced by three humors and, a disease appears because of the imbalance of humors. Consequently, this population commonly uses the Ayurdevic medicine that attempts to restore balance in humors. Ayurdevic medicine contains components used in neutralizing poisonous substances on the body. To some extent, homeopathy highlights a direct complement of the Ayurdevic medicines. This concept indicates that a low dose of medicine that creates the same conditions in a healthy person is efficient in managing some condition. Consequently, sick persons receive low dose of medicines used to create healthy conditions (Martin & Long, 2007).
Nontraditional strategies have also advocated for the concept of neuropathy, which focuses on the utilization of the body’s energy. Naturopathy emphasizes the need of utilizing natural approaches in managing diseases. Application of the naturopathic innervations in metabolic processes encourages adoption of neutral strategies while providing physicians with an effective scheme of avoiding administration of surgeries and drugs. The natural cure movement in the European market forms the force behind the development of naturopathy. Notably, maximum care is necessary to avoid overdose because this would result to further complications (Bodeker & Kronenberg, 2002).
Another effective form of alternative medicine includes the mind-body therapy. This form of cure addresses the state of mind while working on the condition facing the body. In this strategy, yoga, spirituality and relaxation are used to influence the condition of the body. It is a holistic approach to the body that explores the relationship between the mid and the body. When a specialist influences the brain, the body is compelled to believe that it is well, and this eventually leads to healing. Morning exercises and stretches are two of the best-applied physical exercises for this purpose. The mind-body therapy is based on the concept that sickness entails a mental construction. By working on the mind of an individual, the patient is able to overcome the condition (Bodeker & Kronenberg, 2002).
Herbs and diet also provide a strategic nontraditional procedure of managing complications. This strategy mainly does not use commercial drugs in treating illnesses. The herbs and food eaten is the utmost manipulation. The approach values the concepts that diseases results from body’s reaction towards lack of certain components. For example, a weak body highlights absence of essential components. The strategy also emphasizes that a weak and unprotected body is vulnerable to attacks. Consequently, traditional herbs and diets provide effective interventions for addressing these concerns. Surprisingly, this strategy is capable of alleviating some problems that western medicine cannot. In the therapy, some non-vitamin supplements are used to lighten the health complications. These include components such as Echinacea, omega-3 fatty acid, pills, fish oil, flaxseed oil and ginseng (Martin & Long, 2007).
Studies indicate that body manipulation offers an effective approach of correcting conductions that occur occurs due to the uneven adjustment of the body. This involves working hard to alter common activities in the body to favor medical procedures. The body manipulation therapy works on the specific parts affected without bother of the rest of the body. Massage is one of the methods commonly used to manipulate the body.
Application and weaknesses of alternative medicine
In alternative medicine, failure of the therapy comes due to wrong application of the treatment procedures. For example, poor adherence to therapeutic procedures affects the performance of these interventions. There are ranges of situations that each of the therapies works best; however, when used for the wrong purpose, these strategies may be ineffective. Complimentary utilization provides the most effective way of using nontraditional medicines. This is because most of the alternative medicine substances cannot function alone due to little inefficiencies. Consequently, combined interventions, where western and alternative medicine strategies are applied become essential (Martin & Long, 2007).
In most cases, the alternative medicines are never efficient. For example, a severely sick person can hardly be cured by strategies such as administration of massage although the practice may be effective in reducing pain. This is explains the need of offering after treatments services to aid recovery. The widest application of alternative medicine is evident in palliative care. When specialists are minimizing or managing chronic pain in patients, most of the alternative cure practices are used. From earlier practices, putting the patients on care panes to help them reduce the pain is capable of reducing suffering. However, this does not provide a treatment to the condition because the cycle reappears after their administration (Stern, 1997).
Although alternative medicines are of wide application, these strategies are often restricted to necessary cure only. In developing countries, use of alternative medicine is limited due to various reasons. Initially, most nontraditional strategies are associated with delays in treatment. Most economies face a serious problem of managing communicable diseases. Consequently, these countries concentrate their little resources in the management of such disease due to their severe consequences if left unchecked. This feature is against the working of the alternative medicine. This describes the low utilization of nontraditional strategies in the developing countries (Stern, 1997). However, the low risks associated with the use of the nontraditional medicine have encouraged the adoption of this strategy. For example, most commercial drugs are criticized because of their potential of inducing cancerous conditions. In contrast, strategies prioritized in the nontraditional health care do not make persons vulnerable to cancerous states. Furthermore, the utilization of these strategies has increased because they provide exceptional approaches for managing severe diseases such as cancer and lifestyle illnesses. It is apparent that nontraditional health care is widely available, and the model is likely to assume a strategic role in the management of ailments in the future.
References
Bodeker, G., & Kronenberg, F. (2002). A public health agenda for traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine. American Journal of Public Health, 92(10), 1582-91. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/215096801?accountid=45049
Martin, W. M., & Long, H. W. (2007). Complementary and alternative medicine: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of Health Care Finance, 34(2), 89-104. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/235177688?accountid=45049
Park, C. M. (2002). Diversity, the individual, and proof of efficacy: Complementary and alternative medicine in medical education. American Journal of Public Health, 92(10), 1568-72. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/215103704?accountid=45049
Stern, D. (1997). Fringe benefits: Insurers begin covering alternative medicine. Life Association News, 92(9), 102-110. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/216374939?accountid=45049
