Whether naturopathy, acupuncture or homeopathy: the alternative medicine can complement conventional medicine makes sense. We present various therapies – from Kneipp to traditional Chinese medicine
The achievements of medicine will hardly miss one more patient. But especially in milder disease or in chronic diseases trust many people – often in addition – to alternative methods. These can complement traditional medicine, sometimes even replace, if found medically there is nothing.
Alternative Medicine – a useful addition
The alternative medicine is also called complementary medicine (complementary = Latin for completion). This designation is more appropriate because the process in many cases no pure alternative, however, a useful complement to conventional medicine, or can be integrated into traditional therapies. In this case one can speak of integrative medicine.
Germany is among the countries in which the complementary medicine has a long tradition and is used very often. About 60 percent of the population use complementary medicine alongside conventional medicine methods, says Claudia Witt, MD and professor of complementary medicine at the Charité Berlin. The expert says: “A meaningful treatment requires a good orthodox medical diagnosis. For the treatment, traditional medicine and complementary medicine are combined to qualify if their efficacy is proven. “
An example of herbal medicine: for St. John’s wort is effective for mild to moderate depression demonstrated. An example of acupuncture: The success of treatment in knee osteoarthritis with acupuncture have been confirmed by studies. Also back pain for several years been increasingly treated with acupuncture, some with better results than with a classical treatment. As initial studies have shown yoga can also provide a significant reduction in back pain.
Proven effectiveness
To assess the benefits and safety of a therapy method, studies are needed. Even the efficacy of many alternative therapies is not sufficiently researched – which does not necessarily mean that they are not effective. To demonstrate its usefulness and unthinking application, there are different forms of study.
For example, allow comparative studies – for example between Chinese medicine and conventional medicine – a comparison of the efficacy of both therapies. For this purpose, patients with the same symptoms (such as knee arthritis or back pain) is divided into two groups. One group is treated using the methods of Chinese medicine, the other, the control group, treated by conventional medicine. However, one can not exclude that patients with certain characteristics occur more frequently in both groups. So it could be for instance that the patients in the group of Chinese medicine have a generally better health behavior. This would affect the treatment outcome. This effect is avoided if the patients are divided randomly into groups. These trials are called randomized. You can establish a causal connection between the safest treatment and the treatment outcome.
The correct address: doctor or therapist?
How do I find the right therapist for alternative healing methods? A basic distinction between the two professions – doctors and naturopaths – who use complementary therapies. Doctors have studied medicine and demonstrated their knowledge in a variety of tests and exams. Therapy may call himself, who has passed an appropriate examination, which includes a test of the basics of medicine such as anatomy teaching and infection. “For medical practitioners, however, is not regulated as closely as extensive training in therapy needs to be for the practitioner must exercise this therapy,” says Witt.
The provisions for physicians are more concrete: For the three most common areas of naturopathy, acupuncture and homeopathy doctors offer the training chambers. Only doctors who are trained about 200 hours and have specialist training may lead to additional terms.
Claudia Witt warns promise of salvation: “Vendors that patients with severe and non-conventional medicine incurable diseases still promise a cure, I think unsound.” Understandable Despite the despair of the victims: Instead, seek out a doctor or medical practitioner, who honestly about the Advantages and disadvantages of each treatment information. Basically: Even with complementary medical methods is to consult a doctor makes sense. Even herbal remedies or traditional treatments can cause side effects or interact with other medicines.
The most common methods
Classical Naturopathy pursue a holistic approach. Treatment may be varied and includes the elements of the herbal medicine nutrition therapy, exercise therapy, hydrotherapy (the use of hot and cold water, for example, according to Kneipp) and order therapy.
Acupuncture is a treatment method that was developed more than 2000 years in China. It is an integral part of the so-called “Chinese Medicine”, which in addition to acupuncture, moxibustion (warming of the specified points), food therapy, massage (Tuina), the therapeutic exercise (Tai Chi and Qi-gong) and the use of drugs of herbal, animal and mineral origin include.
In classical homeopathy can the dentist explain the history of the patient, he analyzed the symptoms and is usually a homeopathic medicine.
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