What is Alternative Medicine?

Alternative medicine, also called alternative therapy, is a complementary therapy other than the conventional western medicine treatment prescribed by Western countries. According to Western customs, alternative medicine includes meditation therapy, hypnosis therapy, homeopathy, massage therapy, aroma therapy, vitamin therapy, etc. Traditional herbs and acupuncture are also included. Obviously, this is an alternative to the routine, and it is not a substitute for the routine, so it should be called "complementary therapy" more accurately.

Alternative medicine

Alternative medicine (also known as alternative medicine)

In the western developed countries, "alternative medicine" has always been ignored and classified as "alternative". But these treatments are becoming more and more popular. According to a survey by American officials, more than 60% of adults in the United States have tried "alternative medicine." But according to another survey, only 16% of American adults have used alternative medicine. Regardless, reality has driven the US Department of Health to take this issue seriously. The United States National Institutes of Health established a non-mainstream medical office, which was later transformed into an auxiliary and "alternative medicine" research center. The research budget for the past five years has increased at a rate of 50% to 100% per year. The budget for 2001 will reach 1 It has set up 16 research centers across the country to engage in special research on "alternative medicine". In November 1997, the US National Institutes of Health personally held a hearing on acupuncture and invited three academicians, including Academician Han Jisheng from China, to participate. Academician Han was invited to make a conference report on the principle of acupuncture analgesia at the conference. The meeting fully affirmed the efficacy of acupuncture in treating pain and nausea and vomiting, and pointed out that research on the principles and applications of acupuncture should be strengthened. US President Clinton personally ordered the establishment of a four-member advisory committee in 1999 to conduct a policy study of "alternative medicine" and requested a practical policy report in June 2001 for reference by the government and Congress. These actions by the United States have not only been welcomed by their own country and the opposition, but also attracted the attention of other western countries. The British attitude towards "alternative medicine" has always been to listen to its nature. Anyone who says "I am an acupuncturist" can open a needle for a fee of about 25 pounds each time, as well as other things such as massage and bone injury treatment. There is actually a lack of management. However, due to the poor free medical services provided by the government and the long waiting time, people are used to seeking medical treatment at their own expense. According to statistics, the total annual consumption of "alternative medicine" in the country amounts to 1.6 billion pounds. Prince Charles himself attached more importance to the role of non-mainstream medicine, and he advocated focusing on "alternative medicine" as early as 1982. He believes that the United Kingdom should learn from the United States. There is an institution similar to the research center of auxiliary and "alternative medicine" with sufficient funds to support this important activity. He particularly advocates that mainstream medicine and "alternative medicine" should actively cooperate with each other and work together. Serve the patient. Acupuncture hearings were presided over by the National Institutes of Health in 1997, and the first session of acupuncture was set up in the Fifth International Brain Science Conference in Jerusalem, Israel in 1999. In the same year, US President Clinton designated 19 people to form "alternative medicine" The Committee, which was sponsored by Prince Charles of the United Kingdom to hold an "integrated medicine" conference in London in 2001, can be seen in this development process that "alternative medicine" such as Chinese medicine and acupuncture is gaining more and more attention from the Western world, and is gradually moving towards the current The mainstream western medicines converge to form a unified "integrated medicine" trend.