Alternative medicine generally differs from traditional medicine in that alternative medicine is older and what we might call non-conventional or non-Western medicine. Alternative medicine does not follow the traditional science and research that current medicines undergo. Alternative medicine could also be the term complementary or traditional medicine or therapies that can be integrated into current medicine. The staff of the United States National Library of Medicine classified alternative medicine under the category of complementary therapies in its Medical Subjects Title Section. This was done in 2002. The definition provided was that alternative medicine therapeutic practices were not considered an integral part of traditional allopathic medicine. Therapies such as acupuncture, diets, physical therapy such as exercises or yoga, etc. They are called alternative medicine. These therapies are called complementary when used in conjunction with conventional treatments. If they are performed instead of conventional treatments, they are known as alternative treatments.

In April 1995, the panel from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, worked on the Definition and Description, CAM Research Methodology Conference, Office of Alternative Medicine. The panel defined alternative medicine and complementary medicine as those healing resources that encompass all health systems and practices that are different from the dominant health system of a particular society or culture. Typically therapies such as Ayurveda, herbal medicine, folk medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, naturopathy, dietary practices, chiropractic, music therapy, massage, pranic healing, etc. They are classified as alternative or complementary medicine. People who find no cure, remedy or success in allopathic medicine usually try alternative medicine. These people usually suffer from cancer, arthritis, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), chronic back pain, etc. Therapies included in alternative medicine would no longer be included in that category once their efficacy is proven and they are considered safe and effective. So they are considered as part of traditional medicine. An example would be chiropractors. Twenty years ago insurance would not pay for them because they were considered “alternative and ineffective.” Today thousands of people have been helped by chiropractors and they are now recognized in the medical community. A similar movement is underway in the nutraceutical and nutritional supplement industry.

Over the years, more and more people have been using alternative medicine because traditional medicine doesn’t work for them. The 2004 survey conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States revealed that approximately 36% of Americans used alternative medicine in 2002. If alternative medicine is used in conjunction with traditional allopathic medicine, an integrative physician is the best choice for a person. Some traditional doctors are adamantly against or simply don’t believe in complementary medicine, although research continues to show the benefits of many compounds. Your doctor should be aware of other approaches you may be using, and if you’re not comfortable with that, feel free to choose another doctor. This would allow the doctor to anticipate possible complications or a better time to use a complementary therapy. The concern in the use of alternative medicine stems from the fact that some alternative medicine practitioners do not have an accredited medical degree and therefore do not have a valid medical license. However, in recent times, many educational institutions and universities have started offering courses in homeopathy, ayurveda, siddha, unani, acupuncture, and naturopathy. The recent growth in this industry is evident by the large number of people demanding different, and in some cases better, care than what they receive in “modern medicine.” They no longer accept the fact that they need to suffer with pain or illness because the modern pharmacy does not have a magic wand for them.