Complimentary medicine – some definitions

R Dunne and J Watkins

Complimentary medicine

       Also known as alternative medicine. This is an umbrella term for treatments which do not readily fall under the banner of ‘conventional’ Western medicine. Some of these techniques have gained widespread acceptance and approval by both conventional doctors and the general public although others are still viewed with suspicion. The majority have not yet been subject to acceptable scientific trials to establish their efficacy.

Holistic medicine

       Traditionally‚ medicine is practiced mechanistically with the affected area or disease being treated rather than the body as a whole. The mechanistic approach stresses the role of doctors in the healing process as their intervention is active and in general downplays the role of mental and emotional factors that may cause the disease or play a role in its natural evolution or treatment. While mechanistic medicine largely ignores the emotional or spiritual aspects of health and healing‚ holistic health treats the person as a whole.

       Derived from the Greek for whole (Holos)‚ bolism is a philosophy that seeks to treat the body as a whole rather than treating it’s individual parts. It is important to consider the emotional‚ social‚ physical and spiritual dimension of the patient’s life and use these in the healing process.

       The individual's maintenance of their own sense of well-being and importance is integral to their continued health. This encompasses the prevention of disease’ with emphasis on the maintenance of good health and active healing of disease processes. Traditional medicine stresses the importance of pathological factors (bacteria‚ viruses‚ environmental agents) in the caucation of disease (aetiology).

       According to holistic medicine‚ decreased resistance brought about by poor habits and physical and mental stress directly render the body susceptible to disease. Disease‚ therefore‚ is seen as an imbalance between social‚ personal and economic stresses as well as biologic influences. Paavo Airoia‚ a leading proponent of holistic medicine‚ has define this stresses as fears‚ worries‚ emotional stresses‚ exogenous poisons from pulluted air‚ food‚ water‚ toxic drugs‚ excess alcohol intake‚ overeating‚ overindulgence in fats‚ and lack of sufficient exercise‚ rest and relaxation.

Naturopathy

   Although the term naturopathy (meaning ‘nature cure’) was first used at the beginning of this century‚ the philosophical basis and many of the methods of naturopathic medicine are ancient‚ some dating back at least to 400BC when Hippocrates became famous for his treatment of disease in accordance with natural laws.

       The philosophy of naturopathy medicine is based upon three basic principles. The first principle is that the body possesses the power to heal itself through its internal vitality and intelligence. The second is that disease is a manifestation of the the vital force applying itself to the removal of obstructions to the normal functioning of organs and tissues. The third principle is that naturopathic medicine is a holistic approach to health.

       Naturopathic practitioners work with their patients to educate them to take more responsibility for their health and also‚ using natural therapies‚ to remove any obstructions to good health. They use a wide variety of therapies including: nutrition‚ fasting‚ structural adjustment (osteopathy‚ chiropathy‚ postural realignment‚ etc)‚ hydrotherapy‚ lifestyle education and management‚ and education. They accept and use other therapies including osteopathy‚ chiropathic‚ relaxation techniques‚ herbalism‚ nutritional biochemistry and homoeopathy.

Anthrophysical medicine

       This was proposed by Rudolf Steiner‚ who intended the theory to be a natural extension of Western medicine. Steiner divided the body into two parts: sense perception and concept or thought. He believed that man as a functioning human being had to bring both of these atributes together by his own inner activity to get in touch with reality. The theory behind anthrophysical medicine embraces three elements: a system of metabolism and limbs that provide a physiological basis for life and life of the will; a rythmic system of circulation and respiration that is the basis of life.

       In terms of disease processes‚ the body is defined as having two poles: a cold pole (the brain) and a warm pole symbolised by metabolically active cells. Consciousness is seen as deriving from the continuous death process of nerve cells and illness is a process through which the individual achieves greater freedom and wholeness. Proponents believe that doctors should not attempt to eliminate illness from the body‚ as it is seen that illness ultimately brings the individual to fulfilment.

Traditional Chinese medicine

       Public interest in various aspects of Chinese medicine has grown steadily in the Western world. The concepts of Oriental medicine have their basis in Daoism and the theoretical framework of Chinese medicine was established in the pre-Chin (221–207 BC) era. One of the best-known Chinese medical works is the Materia Medica‚ compiled in the Min Dynasty (1368–1644 AD) which includes descriptions of 1‚892 different kinds of medicines.

       The basis of Chinese medicine is the belief that man lives between heaven and earth and comprises a miniature universe in himself. Daoists believe that there is a constant movement between two poles‚ the ‘yin’ and the ‘yang’‚ and that energy (vibration) between these two opposing poles is the activating force of all biological phenomena. They maintain that this constant flux‚ or movement‚ is easily observable in all living things regardless of their size‚ from a molecule in a human being to a whole planet. ’Yin’ characteristics include negative‚ female‚ passive‚ earth‚ moon‚ and the tendency towards contraction. In essence yin and yang are complementary forces which ideally must balance to create health and well-being or to establish correct or optimal conditions in the universe.

       The dynamic energy in all things‚ essentially the vehicle through which yin and yang operate‚ is called ‘Qi’ (also spelt ch’i). This force is called ‘ki’ in Japan and ‘prana’ in India. Every living thing has Qi but this energy and the quality of that energy differs from one living thing to another. In simple terms‚ the food and drink we consume every day give us Qi and the goal of Oriental medicine is to regulate the intake of food and drink so as to maximise the harmonious flow of Qi in the body. The body can be divided between yin and yang (for example‚ a hollow organ of absorption such as the gallbladder and small intestine may be considered to be yin).

       Excessive or extraordinary changes in the weather have a profound effect on the bodily system and balance and these factors (wind‚ cold‚ heat‚ moisture‚ dryness‚ and internal heat) are referred to as ‘the six external disease-causing factors’. The ‘seven emotions’ (happiness‚ anger‚ worry‚ pensiveness‚ grief‚ fear and surprise) can also harm good health‚ if too extreme. The interaction of the six factors and the seven emotions form the theoretical foundation of disease pathology.

Acupuncture

       This is one of the best known and most ancient forms of Chinese traditional medicine. Acupuncture involves insertion of needles at certain points of the body where vital energy is believed to flow. The ancient Chinese identified 26 meridians (pathway or channels) in the body through which Qi flows. The meridians link a series of points where energy and blood converge and there are over 800 such points in the body. Each point or set of points is associated with a specific organ or bodily function.

       Disease is believed to result where energy is blocked along one of these meridians and‚ for a healthy state‚ the Qi must flow unobstructed. Locating the obstruction point or relaxing the point with acupuncture makes the pain or disease disappear and the balanced flow of energy is restored once again. Once the exact point needing treatment is located‚ the acupuncturist inserts a needle into the skin‚ the depth of insertion depending on the extent of the disease and the body system involved. Depending on the treatment required‚ the needle may be left in place for only a few seconds or several weeks. The meridian point is not necessarily located where relief is required and may be at the opposite end or side of the body from the location of the problem.

       A properly trained acupuncturist will use the balance of yin and yang and the Five Elements (metal‚ water‚ wood‚ fire‚ and earth) as well as the condition of the flow of Qi in each of the twelve separate meridian systems.

       Acupuncture may be used as a form of ‘drugless’ anaesthesia and to relieve postoperative pain. It can even be used as a general anaesthetic for surgery. In 1980 the World Health Organization released a list of 43 types of pathologies which can be effectively treated with acupuncture.

Macrobiotics

       Translated literally ‘macro’ is the Greek word for great or long and ‘bios’ is the word for life. The earliest recorded usage of the term is found in the writings of Hippocrates in the essay Airs‚ waters and Places. Other classical writers including Herodotus‚ Aristotle‚ Galen and Lucian also used the term and it came to signify living in harmony with nature‚ eating a simple balanced diet and living to an active age.

       The modern practice evolved from the experiences of two educators‚ Sagen Ishitsuka MD and Yukiazu Sakurazawa who cured themselves of serious illnesses by changing from the modern refined diet of brown rice‚ miso soup‚ sea vegetables and other traditional foods. After restoring their health‚ they went on to integrate traditional Oriental medicine and philosophy with Vedanta‚ original Jewish and Christian teachings‚ and holistic perspectives in modern science and medicine. When Sakurazawa came to Paris in the 1920s‚ he adopted George Ohsawa as pen name and called his teaching macrobiotics.

       Macrobiotics has enjoyed recent attention as many AIDS sufferers have used this approach as a potential weapon against their disease. Experiences have been mixed.

Ayurveda

       Ayurveda is an ancient Indian form of healing and way of life. It had fallen out of favour for many years but enjoyed a renaissance following Gandhi’s use of it’s principles.

       Central to Ayurveda is the concept of tridosha and it is believed that the body is made up of tissues (dhatus)‚ waste products (malas) and energetic forces (doshas). We all have a tendency towards primacy of one of the three doshas (vata‚ pitta and kapha) and illness is caused by an imbalance. Ideal balance is called Dosha Shmya.

       The balance of the doshas will change due to time‚ age and season. Lifestyle management and diet are used to control the doshas. Central to this is the concept of like increases like (i.e. if you are cold and eat ice cream you will feel colder).

       Promoting and maintaining good health is the major strand of Ayurveda‚ while prevention‚ diagnosis and treatment of disorders or diseases are another aspect. There are five principles (Panchakarma) and eight branches of Ayurvedic medicine which makes it a complete system which has served countless generations over thousands of years.

Homoeopathy... Bach Flower Remedies... Herbalism... Chiropractic and osteopathic medicine... Next Page 2

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