Alternative Medicine

Alternative medicine refers to a healing practice or process of medicine that does not follow the standard of diagnoses and treatment option of conventional medicine and is not based on evidence gathered through scientific research methods.

The beginning of the practice of alternative medicine does not have a clear historical date as the practice has been undertaken for several centuries in eastern Asia, Western Europe and among the Native Americans. However, its increased use in the health spheres was noted in 1970s as it was unverified by biomedical science but many patients were considering it as one of the best options for treatment.

The basic types of alternative medicine are Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, herbs, diet and vitamins, mind body therapies, homeopathy, naturopathy, and energy therapies. Alternative medicine is beneficial for spiritual and emotional conditions that are not handled well by conventional medicine. There are some alternative medicine treatment option such as vitamins and diet offer effective preventive measures against many diseases (Rosenblum).

Although alternative medicine has been effective in treatment of different ailments, it has several problems and risks that accompany it. Most of the treatment options have not been studied effectively by medical experts and they may have detrimental effects on the patients. Examples of the negative effects are toxicity, several side effects, negative drug interaction especially in cases of herbals usage and overdose of the treatment substances. Alternative medicine is not as well regulated as the conventional medicine. As such, there has been emergence of numerous alternative medicine practitioners leading to quackery, a fact that has led to many cases of wrong diagnosis and treatment hence risking the lives of the patients. There is minimal funding for alternative medicine and so effective research is not achieves as a result, which prevents the opportunities for the treatment of emerging diseases and evolving illnesses (Rosenblum).

There is minimal health insurance coverage for alternative medicine treatment options. Although some expenses of using treatment such as chiropractic and acupuncture are reimbursed through insurance, most of alternative treatments are not covered. Most of the treatments are not verified as few research studies have been conducted on them hence raising the risk of causing detrimental effects on the patients. As such, health insurers avoid them. Further, since the field is not fully regulated, the risks that accompany them cause insurers to shun them (Rosenblum).

South Georgia Acupuncture clinic

The clinic is situated in Baxley, South Georgia. The clinic specializes in offering acupuncture services that are instrumental in treating a number of health conditions that include arthritis, weight loss and sport injuries. Generally, the treatment option aims at minimizing and eradicating injuries incurred by a person. Further, it enhances holistic health (South Georgia Acupuncture clinic).

Ayurvedic and Naturopathic medical clinic

The clinic is situated in Bellevue, Washington. It was formed by Dr Virender Sondi in 1989 but was later joined by Dr Shailinder Sondhi and Anju Sondhi. The alternative medicine clinic offers Naturopathic and Ayurvedic treatment options. The services offered are dietary treatment, panchkarma, integrative health, preventive medicine, and Ayurvedic services. The services are aimed at enhancing holistic health and offer preventive option for commonly occurring ailments (Ayurvedic and Naturopathic medical clinic).

California Homeopathic clinic

The clinic is situated in San Jose, California. The clinic deals with homeopathy and the treatment options are hypertension, hair loss, allergy, asthma, ulcerative colitis, gynecology irregularities and skin problems. Generally the treatment option intends to enhance health well being through management of both chronic and acute illnesses (Carlifornia and Homeopathic clinic).

I agree with the usage of alternative medicine because it offers the appropriate treatment substitute to conditions that conventional medication is unable to handle. Further, it offers an excellent preventive measures thus enhancing the health of the society and preventing common ailments.

Works Cited

California Homeopathic Clinic. cahomeopathy.com/.2008.Site accessed ;5 dec,2013

<http://www.cahomeopathy.com/>

Ayurvedic and Naturopathic medical clinic. ayurvedicscience.com.2009.Site accessed; 5

dec,2013 http://ayurvedicscience.com/

South Georgia Acupuncture clinic. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine.2013.Site accessed; 5

dec,2013 http://southgaacupunctureclinic.com/

Rosenblum,Peter. Advantages and Disadvantages of Alternative Medicine. femcenter.org.3

may,2013.Acessed 5 dec,2013. http://www.femcenter.org/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-alternative-medicine.html