Health Culture

What is complementary/alternative medicine and how does it differ from the traditional Western approach?

Complementary medicine and alternative medicine include any treatment interventions that do not fall within the accepted rubric of the American Medical Association and related institutions. The term complementary medicine suggests that such interventions can be used in conjunction with allopathic interventions, whereas alternative medicine suggests that some patients prefer to eschew pharmacological and related allopathic interventions in favor of other forms of treatment. Mistakenly called Western medicine, allopathic medicine is practices as much in Asia and the East as it is in the West.

However, many cultures around the world including Western societies acknowledge the relevance and role that homeopathic medicine, acupuncture, herbs, and other treatments play in healing. Many so-called alternative medicine and complementary medicine treatments have been scientifically studied. The main difference between complementary and alternative medicine and traditional medicine is that...
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