Eastern medical practices have started to become more accepted and used in the West. The once far fetched idea of using meditation, herbs and other alternative health approaches no longer is laughed at.
When it comes to sweeping terms, alternative medicine is certainly one. It can include everything from massage, herb treatments, meditation and even prayer. This grab bag approach has led to an argument over what exactly alternative medicine means.
One group of medical scientists takes the view that anything not originating in the west is an alternative medicine. They view the grab bag as a hodge podge of questionable approaches and discount them.
On the other side of the ledger are medical professionals who mock the alternative title. They suggest a medical approach must be evidence driven. It either works or it does not. If it works, than it is part of mainstream medicine regardless of where it came from.
So, who wins the debate? At the moment, there is no answer. What is clear, however, is many eastern medical practices are becoming more popular with Westerners. Consider the following.
Regardless of how you define alternative medicine, there is little doubt it is growing in popularity. Over fifty percent of all adults in American have used it. Not just accepted it, but actually used it.
Interestingly, the increased use of alternative approaches does not preclude most western treatment plans. Instead, patients usually supplement such treatment plans with alternative approaches.
While alternative approaches are more accepted, the acceptance is limited to certain areas. The most popular alternative medications and treatments are in areas where re-occurring pain is a problem.
The doctor-patient relationship is one of trust and credibility in western medicine. Oddly, this seems discounted when it comes to alternative medicine. Simply put, most people do not consult with an alternative medicine specialist before trying it out.
When it comes to gender, women are more likely to go alternative than men. There is no clear evidence as why, but there is some suggestion that the mind-body treatment approach common in alternative is more attractive to women.
How we define medicine and where medicinal approaches come from seems to be somewhat irrelevant to most people. The question is whether the gain benefits from it. Given the rise in use, it would seem alternative medicinal approaches are here to stay.
