Alternative medicines

1. ALTERNATIVE AND
COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINES

4. INTRODUCTION
• Complementary and Alternative medicines are the term used for the
medical products and practices that are not the part of standard care.
• Alternatives medicine is a term used to include all the healing practice “
that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine.”
• These are the means of treatment that you use instead of standard ones.
• They include practices which may be based on traditional medicines, folk
knowledge, spiritual beliefs etc.

5. DEFINITIONS
• Alternative medicine can be defined as a it variety of therapeutic or
preventive healthcare practices such as homoeopathy ,naturopathy and
herbal medicines that do not follow generally accepted medical
methods and may not have a scientific explanation for their
effectiveness.
• Alternative medicine is any practice that put forward as having the
healing effects of medicine but does not originate from evidence
gathered using the scientific methods .
• Complementary medicine is alternative medicines used together with
conventional medical treatment in a belief ,not established using the
scientific method that is complements improve the efficacy of the
treatment .

6. COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES

7. DOMAINS OF ALTERNATIVE AND
COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINES
• Alternative Medical Systems
• Mind body intervention
• Biologically based therapies
• Manipulative and Body based methods
• Energy therapies

8. ACUPUNCTURE

9. • Introduction-
-it describes a family of procedures involving in the stimulation
of anatomical points on the body using a variety of
techniques.
-it involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid , metallic
needles.
-fine needles are inserted at the specific points to stimulate,
disperse & regulate the flow of vital energy and restore a
healthy balance.

10. • History-
-it is among the oldest healing practice in the world.
-mainly practiced in China & other Asian countries.
-here the body is seen as a delicate balance of two OPPOSING
and INSEPERABLE forces: YIN and YANG.
-Yin represents cold, slow & passive aspects of the person.
-Yang represents hot, excited or active aspects of the person.

11. .The major theory is that health is achieved through balancing Yin and
Yang.
.The disease is caused by an imbalance leading to the blockage in the
flow of Qi.
.In traditional Chinese medicine ,the vital energy or life force proposed
to regulate a person’s spiritual, emotional, mental & physical health has
to be influenced by the opposite forces of Yin and Yang along with the
pathways known as MERIDIANS.
.Qi can be unblocked by using a accupuncture at certain points on the
body that conect with these meridians

12. ACUPRESSURE

13. • Introduction-
- It is a effective form of stimulation used to help relax
the muscles.
- It helps to correct functional imbalances & restore
the flow thus returning the body to a more natural
state of well being.
- A simple way to stimulate these points is to press
firmly with the finger in a rotatory movement or up
& down movement for several minutes at a time.

14. History-
- The history of acupressure is more than 2000
years old and till today’s date it is used and
practiced.
How it works-
-it is a method of sending a signal to the body
(by needles or other means ) to turn on its
own self healing or regulatory mechanism.

15. NATUROPATHY

16. Introduction-
-it is created from Latin words “Natura” means “Root
for birth” and “Pathos” means “Root for suffering” to
suggest natural healing.
-a naturopath , provides personalised care to each
patient & practices in an freelance environment .

17. History-
-the principle of naturopath were first used by
Hippocrates School of Medicine in about 400 B.C.
-he believed in finding the cause of disease & by using
the laws of nature to induce care.

18. Principles of Naturopathy-
-nature has a innate ability to heal.
-identify and heal the cause.
-do not harm.
-treat the whole person.
-the naturopath as a teacher.
-prevention is better than cure.
Treatment Plan-
-it may include advice on diet, lifestyle , exercise , herbal
medicine or suitable remedies.

19. AROMATHERAPY

20. Introduction-
-it is a practice of using natural oils extract from
flowers, stems, leaves, root or other part of plant to
enhance psychological & physical wellbeing.
-the inhaled aroma from these essential oils is believed
to stimulate brain function.
-essential oils can be absorbed through the skin, where
they travel through the blood stream & can promote
whole body healing.

21. Definition-
-aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of plant derieved
, aromatic essential oils to promote physical &
psychological well being.
Examples-
- lavender- can be used as analgesic,antiseptic,calming
&soothing.
- Eucalptus- can be used as antiseptic, antibacterial,
expectorant.

22. HERBAL MEDICINES

23. Introduction-
-Herbalism / Herbology is the use of plants for
medicinal purposes.
-In India the herbal remedy is so popular that Govt of
India has created a separate department AYUSH .

24. Definition-
-herbal medicines are also called as botanical medicine
as it uses plant’s seeds , roots, leaves , flowers for
medicinal purpose.
How do herb work-
-many factors determine how effective an herb will be
like climate, quality of soil, at what time it was
harvested etc.

25. Herbal Philosphy and Spiritual Practices-
• The magical- the practioner is regarded as the person
endowed with gifts and powers that allow him to use herbs in
a way that they are hidden from average person.
• The energetic- herbs are considered to be having actions of
affecting the energies of the body.
• The Functional Dynamics- herbs have a functional action.
• The Chemical- it is generally assumed that the specific
combination of secondary metabolites in the plants are
responsible for the activities.

26. What is herbal medicine good for-
• Ginkgo- used to treat circulatory disorders &
enhance memory.
• Kava kava- elevates mood, produces a feeling of
relaxation.
• Valerian- is helpful in sleep disorders.

27. NUTRITION THERAPY

28. INTRODUCTION-
-nutrients & other food components influence the
function of the body, protect against disease, restore
health & determine people’s response to changes in
the enviroment.
-Nutrition therapy is the application of nutrition science
in the promotion of health & individual care.
-Nutrition therapy is now used as a new preventive
health modality.

29. CHIROPRACTIC

30. INTRODUCTION-
- Chiropractic is a Greek word meaning “done by hand”.
- It is grounded in the principle that the body can heal itself
when the skeletal system is correctly aligned & the nervous
system is functioning properly.
- It has become well accepted treatment for acute pain &
problems of the spine including lower back ache.
- In this it is belief that any disorder affect the general health
via nervous system.

31. DEFINITION-
-Chiropractic is an approach to health care that uses SPINAL MANIPULATION
to relieve pain.
-It is a natural approach to promote health through life style changes,
nutrition & exercises.
-It is also called as spinal adjustment.
-manipulation can be done with hands or special devices.
-sometimes other joints of the body are also worked on to help treat the
spine.

32. GOALS OF CHIROPRACTIC-
-The goal of chiropractic treatment is to increase
movement in the joint & relax the muscles.
-The ultimate goal is to correct the alingment
problems, ease pain & support the body’s
natural ability to heal itself.

33. ENVIROMENTAL MEDICINE

34. INTRODUCTION-
-Environmental medicine looks at the association
between a patient’s health & the toxins found in our
air, water, soil & medication.
-The toxins that we are exposed to in our home & work
environment can be directly responsible for our poor
health.
-The scope of this field involves studying the interaction
between environment & human health.

35. DEFINITION-
- Environmental medicine is a branch of medicine
dealing with the effects of environment on human
health , especially the physical, mental & emotional
responses to environmental factors.
- Environmental medicine is the study of the causes of
disease in an environmental context & the
developmental of methods of detection, control &
prevention of environmentally related disease.

36. CATEGORIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS-
1.Particulate inhalants- like pollen, dust, spores.
- can cause common symptoms like asthma, allergies.
2.Foods- certain foods can cause anaphylactic shock. eg-
peanuts.
- common symptoms are stomach ache, echzema.
3. Flora- some individuals can have an immune response to
fungi, bacteria, viruses & parasites.
4. Chemicals- includes heavy metals, solvents, pesticides etc.

37. REFLEXOLOGY

38. INTRODUCTION-
- It involves application of pressure to the feet & hands
with a specific thumb, finger & hand technique
without the use of oil or lotion.
- It is a gentle manipulation or pressing on certain
parts of foot to produce an effect elsewhere in the
body.
DEFINITION-
- Reflexology is a form of bodywork that focus primarily
on the feet.

39. THEORY-
- the underlying theory behind is that there are reflex
areas on the feet & hands that corresponds to
specific organs, glands & other parts of the body.
- practitioners believe that applying pressure to these
reflex areas can promote health in the corresponding
organs through energetic pathways.

40. Reflexology is helpful in-
• Stress & stress related conditions.
• Tension headaches.
• Digestive disorders.
• Arthritis.
• Insomnia.
• Hormonal imbalances
• Backpain

41. STONE THERAPY

42. INTRODUCTION-
- A stone massage is a massage that uses smooth , flat & heated rocks
placed at key points on the body.
- The stones are usually made up of BASALT ( type of rock that is rich in
iron).
- Two types of massages are given- hot massage and cold massage.
- Geothermal therapy is through the use of deep penetrating heated stones
alternated with chilled stones to bring about a chemical release within the
body system.
- It also balances & recharges our souls with Mother Earth and Father Sky as
we each percieve their wonder.

43. How these hot and cold stone works-
• Hot stone massage is a style of massage therapy in
which water treated stones are placed at specific
sites on the client’s body to promote relaxation &
help open up merdians (energy pathways).
• Cool stones are used alternately with the hot stones.
• Massage oils are usually incorporated into the
massage treatment.

44. Benefits of Stone therapy-
• Provides deep muscle & tissue relaxants.
• Alleviates stress.
• Releases toxins.
• Relieves pain.
• Improves circulation.
• Calms the psyche.

45. GEM THEORY

46. Introduction-
-It is said that precious stones have a medicinal
pedigree.
-The primary focus of some therapeutic gemstones is
physical healing.
-It is believed that using these gems can deeply purify
& help heal the physical body, promote the release of
toxins & negative energy stored in the organs and
support the immune system.

47. Different types of gem stones -

49. REIKHI TREATMENT

50. INTRODUCTION-
-The word Reikhi is made of two Japanese words- “Rei”
means “ Gods wisdom or higher power” and “Ki”
means “Life force energy”.
- It is a Japanese treatment for stress reduction &
relaxation that also promotes healing.
- It is administered by laying on hands & based on
ideas that an unseen life force energy flows through
us & it is what causes us to be alive.
-

51. - If one’s life forces energy is low then there are more
chances to get sick or feel stress and if it is high , we
are more capable of being happy & healthy.
- So Reikhi is actually Spiritually Guided Life Force
Energy.
- Reikhi is a simple , natural & safe method of spiritual
healing and self improvement that everyone can use.

52. HYPONISIS

53. Introduction-
- during hyponsis , a person is said to have heightened
focus and concentration.
- the person can concentrate intensely on a specific
thought or memory while blocking out sources of
distraction.
- some hypotized person report sense of detachment to
extreme relaxation during hypnotic state, while other
feels that their action seem to occur outside of their
conscious violation.

54. DEFINITION-
- Hypnosis is a state of human consciousness
involving focussed attention & reduced
peripheral awareness & an enhanced capacity
for response to suggestion.
- The use of hypnotism for the therapeutic
purpose is referred as Hypnotherapy.

55. Uses of Hyponisis-
- In the treatment of chronic pain conditions
like rheumatoid arthritis.
- Treatment & reduction of pain during
childbirth.
- Reduction of nausea & vomiting in cancer
patients undergoing chemotherapy.

56. ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM OF
MEDICINE

57. INTRODUCTION
• Alternative medicine is any practice that is put
forward as having the healing effects of
medicine but does not originate from
evidence gathered using scientific method.
• Alternative medicine are usually based on
religion, tradition, superstition & belief in
supernatural energies.

58. AYURVEDA

59. ORIGIN AND NATURE-
• Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine practiced
in India.
• The word Ayur + Veda implies the science of life.
• The origin of Ayurveda is linked with the origin of
universe & developed from the hymns of Atharaveda
describing fundamentals about the world & life,
diseases & medicine.

60. THEORITICAL BASIS-
The Ayurveda takes holistic view of health
comprising of four integrated components-
1. Physical
2. Mental
3. Social
4. Spiritual

61. • In Ayurveda , human beings are considered as
the combination of –
- Seven body tissues (Sapta Dhatu)
- Five senses (Panch Indriyas)
- Intellect (Budhi)
- Mind (Manes)
- Soul (Atman)

62. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT-
• The treatment of Ayurveda is individualized.
• It requires not only diagnosis of disease to prescribe medicine but also
study of various factors like age & sex, temperament, sleep, rest & work
pattern, diet.
• Treatment includes preventive & curative measures.
• Preventive measures includes swasth- vritt i.e personal hygiene , regular
daily routine.
• Curative measures includes aushadhi i.e drug, anna i.e diet & vihara i.e
exercises & general mode of life.
• Diagnosis of Ayurveda is done on the basis of history taking & examination
of pulse, urine, faeces, tounge & eyes etc.

63. SIDDHA

64. ORIGIN AND NATURE-
• Siddha is one of the oldest system of medicine in India.
• The term Siddha implies Achievement.
• It was practiced by “ Sidharas” who aimed to maintain perfect
health in order to achieve Siddhi or Heavenly Bliss.
• Sidharas were saintly figures who achieved results in medicine
through the practice of Yoga.

65. BASIC PHILOSOPHY-
• The basic philosophy of Siddha is “ there is an
intimate link between man & environment.
• It believes that objects in the universe
including human body are composed of five
elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air & Space.

66. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT-
• The diagnosis of disease involves identifying its
causes.
• The principles & philosophies of this system is similar
to Ayurveda.
• The Siddha system takes into account patient as a
whole-age, sex, race,mental frame, diet,
physiological conditions etc.

67. UNANI

68. ORIGIN AND NATURE-
• The Unani system of medicine has its origin in
Greece before Christ .
• It was introduced in India around the 11th
century by the Arabs & Persians.

69. THEORITICAL BASIS-
• The Unani system deals with therapeutic, health promotion
& prevention of disease.
• The system is based on four humour theory of Hippocrates,
the humors are assigned with temperament-
1. Blood is hot and moist.
2. Phelgm is cold and moist.
3. Yellow bile is hot and dry.
4. Black bile is cold and dry.

71. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT-
• The diagnosis is done by feeling pulse, observation of urine,
stool , colour of skin, gait.
• The treatment comprises three components i.e preventive,
promotive, curative.
• Treatment is carried out in two forms-
1. Pharmacotherapy- makes use of natural drugs mainly herbal
but also includes animal & marine drugs.
2. Regimental therapy- it is the speciality of Unani medicine.

72. - it has 12 methods for specific & complicated diseases , they
are- cupping, leeching, sweating , hamam.
- these are drugless therapies .
- According to Unani there are six essentials in life-
1. Rest
2. Sleep
3. Wakefulness
4. Evacuation
5. Retention
6. Physical movement

74. HOMEOPATHY

75. ORIGIN AND NATURE-
• Homeopathy has been in practice for almost 170
years.
• Homeopathy is based on the theory of “ SIMILIA
SIMILIBUS CURENTIS” or let like be treated by like i.e
any substance capable of producing artificial
symptoms on healty individuals can cure the same
symptoms in the natural disease.

76. BASIC LAWS, DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT
METHODS-
In addition to law of Similar, the other laws
are-
1. Law of direction of cure.
2. Law of single remedy.
3. Law of minimum doses.
4. Theory of chronic disease

77. YOGA

78. ORIGIN AND NATURE-
• Yoga is an ancient science.
• It has been described in Vedas.
• It was propounded by Patanjali about 2500
years.

79. THEORTICAL BASIS-
• Yoga is a science which helps to coordinate
body & mind more effectively.
• It promotes mental , physical, social & spiritual
health.
• A number of postures described in yogic practice
helps to improve health, to prevent diseases &
cure illness.
• MEDITATION is very important aspect of Yoga.