Complementary medicine is becoming popular in western world, every year millions of consultation is taking place and statistics says that one in every three persons have tried it.
It is really helpful for chronic conditions which could not be treated with other medications.
Now it is widely accepted in orthodox medicines that doctors are either trained in this or referring patients to complementary therapies or incorporating complementary therapist into their practice.
So, nowadays complementary medicine is very common in specialists, hospitals, gyms, schools, beauty clinics.
While this form of medicine has become popular, patients are asking for its effectiveness and safety.
Hence complementary medicine practitioners are well trained and their professional associations are working hard to raise the standards.
Complementary medicine was once called as alternative medicine as it was treated as alternative to orthodox, allopathic medicine.
Few accepted alternative medicine terminology while others felt that is forming a barrier between complementary and orthodox medicine while both can work very well together.
Hence the name complementary medicine came into picture.
So what forms complementary medicine? ancient traditions provides root to this like the medical systems of India, China, Tibet.
While the argument continues that these medications like Traditional Chinese medicines should not be considered as alternative medicines as they were practiced for thousands of years.
But their revitalization puts them in modern health care approach firmly.
Complementary therapies are developed from ancient roots such as acupuncture from Traditional Chinese medicine while others like osteopathy developed recently from the work of an US army doctor.
Osteopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture, herbalism and homeopathy are well established in UK while naturopathy is also well established in US, Germany and Australia.
Few other therapies like nutritional therapy is also growing popular.
Osteopathy and Chiropractic have become mainstream in UK as they are regulated by law and included in medical insurance practiced on the National Health Service.
It is referred for health problems such as back and neck pain by the practitioners.
As a matter of fact for some people this is considered as professions allied to medicine.
Controversy exists with complementary medicines too particularly on homeopathy developed in 18th century in Germany whether it is all in mind or really does it work? Cranial osteopathy a subtle form of osteopathy is also in question.
Crystal, color, and light therapy even though has committed and serious practitioner is considered as weird and wacky.
Hope that you have got a good idea about what is complementary medicine?