What Is the Difference Between Conventional and Alternative Medicine?

The scope of alternative medicine is very large, including all areas of traditional medicine and folk remedies in the world. Specifically, Chinese medicine (traditional Chinese medicine therapy, acupuncture, shiatsu, qigong), Indian medicine, immunotherapy (lymphocyte therapy, etc.), medicinal foods, health foods, herbs, aroma massage, vitamin therapy, medicated diet, spa therapy Wait. In China, integrated Chinese and western medicine is synonymous with complementary and alternative medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) assigns 65-80% of the world's health management business to traditional medicine. In other words, these traditional medicines are used as alternative medicines in Western society.

Complementary and alternative medicine

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The scope of alternative medicine is very large, including all areas of traditional medicine and folk remedies in the world. Specifically, Chinese medicine (traditional Chinese medicine therapy, acupuncture, shiatsu, qigong), Indian medicine, immunotherapy (lymphocyte therapy, etc.), medicinal foods, health foods, herbs, aroma massage, vitamin therapy, medicated diet, spa therapy Wait. In China, integrated Chinese and western medicine is synonymous with complementary and alternative medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) assigns 65-80% of the world's health management business to traditional medicine. In other words, these traditional medicines are used as alternative medicines in Western society.

Modern Western medicine is called " Conventional Medicine" or " Orthodox Medicine". In contrast, complementary and alternative medicine is called " Unconventional Medicine " or " Unorthodox Medicine ". Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is sometimes called "Alternative Medicine" ("Alternative Medicine"), "Alternative Therapy" or "Complementary Medicine", "Alternative Medicine", etc. The only difference is the name of each country. And standards are different.

Generally speaking, complementary and alternative medicine refers to: medical knowledge that has not been taught in ordinary medical schools, and medical or medical methods that have not been generally practiced in general hospitals.

Complementary and alternative medicine includes a wide range of content, including not only traditional medicine and folk therapies around the world, but also many new therapies that cannot be covered by medical insurance. In terms of population ratio, the population enjoying the benefits of modern western medicine is actually very small. According to the World Health Organization, 65% to 80% of the world's health business is classified as "traditional medicine" When Western society uses these traditional medicines, it will also be regarded as complementary and alternative medicines.

Specifically, complementary and alternative medicine include traditional Chinese medicine (traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, qigong), Indian medicine, immunotherapy (lymphocyte therapy, etc.), medicinal foods and health foods (antacid food groups, immunoactive foods, Various preventive supplements, etc.), aromatherapy, vitamin therapy, diet therapy, psychosocial therapy, spa therapy, oxygen therapy, etc. Indeed, it contains some non-scientific content, which may be difficult for doctors practicing western medicine to accept. But we have to acknowledge the fact that scientifically proven therapies for its mechanism of action and effectiveness are increasing rapidly recently. The US FDA recognizes acupuncture needles as medical devices, and recognizes traditional Chinese medicine as an "independent and complete medical system", which shows that complementary and alternative medicine is strongly impacting and complementing modern western medicine.

Roughly speaking, complementary and alternative medicine are mostly less toxic and less erosive to patients. Especially for those patients who are considered difficult by Western medicine, it is undoubtedly a good news. In addition, complementary and alternative medicine will make a huge contribution to solving the medical problems of the 21st century, such as the side effects of drugs, environmental pollution, economic problems, and doctors credit crisis.

Complementary and alternative medicine provides more beneficial options for patients and opens up a wider road to a rehabilitation paradise. Of course, we should also avoid those stupid practices that completely deny modern Western medicine and advocate supernaturalist unscientific therapies in an attempt to return to primitive society.

The status of complementary and alternative medicine has grown faster and faster in recent years. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies 65% to 80% of the world's health care as traditional medicine, but in terms of population More people use complementary and complementary and alternative medicine than modern western medicine.

Complementary and alternative medicine has gradually formed a new medical trend around the world. In 1992, the United States Congress established the Supplementary and Alternative Medical Affairs Agency (OAM), one of the world's most advanced medical research institutions, in the NIH (National Institutes of Health), and invested 40 million US dollars each year. After the establishment of OAM, scientific research in this field has developed rapidly. 10 universities including Harvard University, Columbia University, and Stanford University have successively set up research centers and began curriculum education for some students.

(I) Complementary and alternative medicine is very popular. Physicians and basic medical researchers are very concerned about complementary and alternative medicine. As a new trend in medicine, complementary and alternative medicine is popular among the public for the following reasons:

1. Complementary and alternative medicine is easy to understand and familiar with

2. Complementary and alternative medicine is non-invasive and has few side effects.

3. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Helps Improve QOL Quality of Life or ADL Acitivity of Daily Life

4. Complementary and alternative medicine helps maintain personal health

5. Western modern medicine does not fully meet the needs of patients

6. Trends towards more holistic medical approaches

7. Expensive and Rising Medical Expenses

(II) History of complementary and alternative medicine in Japan and the United States

In 1999, the International Research Center for Traditional Medicine was established in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. Ayurveda (spa therapy) research in India is ongoing.

In 2002, the Department of Complementary Supplementary and Alternative Medicine was established at Kanazawa University.

In the United States, the need for discussion of CAM research has increased. Congress established the Office of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OAM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1992. Between 1992 and 1993, Congress allocated $ 2 million for OAM. In 1997, this special fund steadily increased to $ 12 million. In 1998, OAM was hailed as the National Complementary and Complementary and Alternative Medical Center (NCCAM). Now, NCCAM's funding exceeds $ 10,000. NCCAM spends money on CAM-related research, and the main areas of research have been widely accepted by scientists, such as antioxidants or dietary supplements.

(Three) the use of different CAM in Japan and the United States

In the United States, the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) rose from 33.8% in 1990 to 42.1% in 1997. Complementary and alternative medicine is used in 20-50% of the population in many European countries, compared with 48.5% in Australia. 65.6% of Japanese admitted to using complementary and alternative medicine. A telephone survey involving 1,000 Japanese respondents showed that the proportion of the population who had used at least one complementary and alternative medical method in the past 12 months was greater than the proportion of people who had used conventional Western medicine. (76.0% VS 65.6%).

In addition, in the United States, 61.5% of CAM users do not tell doctors that they have used it, while in Japan, this figure is 78.9%.

Shows the types of complementary and complementary and alternative medical use in the United States and Japan. In Japan, the field of dietary supplements is the most important, followed by aromatherapy, traditional Chinese medicine (Chinese medicine), Ayurveda, and electrotherapy. Also the fields of hot spring baths, lifestyle medicines, anti-aging medicine and environmental medicine are also considered important. It should be noted that this is the order used by users of complementary and alternative medical methods. Hanfang Medical is by far the most frequently used medical practice by licensed medical practitioners.

The telephone survey revealed the following population ratios for each complementary and alternative health care law:

Nutrition and nourishing drinks, 43.1%;

Dietary supplements, 43.1%;

Use of health-related appliances, 21.5%;

Herbal or over-the-counter Chinese medicine, 17.2%;

Massage or acupuncture, 14.8%;

Prescription Chinese medicine (prescribed by the doctor), 10.0%;

Aromatherapy, 9.3%;

Chiropractic or osteopathy, 7.1%;

Acupuncture and moxibustion, 6.7%;

Homeopathy, 0.3%;

Other therapies, 6.5%.

Considering the reasons for using complementary and alternative medicine, 60.4% of the respondents said that conventional western medicine treatment is not enough to guarantee cure, and 49.3% of the respondents answered expecting to strengthen health care or disease prevention. Compared with the average annual payment of all 1,000 respondents, complementary and alternative medicine accounted for only half of conventional Western medicine (19080 yen vs 38360 yen).

According to these data, complementary and alternative medicine is very popular in Japan and the costs paid are not insignificant. Compared to Americans, the Japanese are not very interested in "psychotherapy" in complementary and alternative medicine methods such as meditation and Relaxation treatments are also available in "material" styles, such as dietary supplements.

(4) CAM-related associations in Japan Japan Complementary Alternative Medical Association (JCAM)

Japan Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Complementary Medicine, Traditional Medical Association (JACT)

Japan General Medical Association (JIM)

Japan Aromatherapy Association

Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion Association

Japanese Traditional Acupuncture and Moxibustion Association

Japan Dental Oriental Medical Association

Oriental Medical Association of Japan

Chinese Medicine and Medical Association

Japan Association of Symptoms and Knee Pain

Japan Physical Therapy, Bath Therapy and Climatology Association

Association for Expressive Psychopathology and Art Therapy

Japan Physiological Feedback Research Association

Hemorheology and related research associations

Japan Magnetic Medicine Conference

Japan Music Therapy Association

Japan Bio Music Association

Japan Fasting Association

other

Popular dietary nutritional supplements for the American people include Ginkgo / Ginkgo Biloba, Echinacea, Garlic, Ginseng, Soy Bean, Saw Palmetto, Forsythia Extract, Valerian, Black Cohosh, Milk Thistle, Evening Incense, Grape Seed Extracts, mulberry seeds, green tea, pinna crystals, ginger, chamomile and angelica and others.

Agaricus blazei is the most popular product in Japan and many cancer patients eat it.