What is complementary medicine & therapy? 
Complementary medicine is an umbrella term for the numerous healing therapies that complement traditional Western medicine in promoting and maintaining overall well-being. Numerous disciplines fall under the category; some are modern while others date back thousands of years. Examples include Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda (the ancient Indian system of healing), homeopathy, naturopathy and osteopathy.
The main difference between conventional and complementary medicine is that complementary practices encourage the individual to take responsibility for their own vibrant well-being and develop a lifestyle that prevents illness. When practitioners diagnose ailments, the whole person is taken into account - their emotions, thoughts, physical health, and spiritual well-being.
Increasing numbers of people in the Ireland are using complementary - or alternative - medicine to try to alleviate particular illnesses or symptoms, or to improve their overall health and wellbeing. As a result there is a huge demand for qualified professionals in this area.
According to the VHI Complementary healing therapies are quickly gaining wide acceptance. Already in the United States, the National Institute of Health recommends them over conventional medicine when treating stress. As attitudes change and scientific evidence continues to grow, it is envisaged that the term "complementary" will soon be outdated and replaced with "integrated", which suggests the healthy balance that can be achieved between modern Western medicine and complementary therapies.
Research shows that people consistently report four negative and four positive reasons for using complementary medicine.
Negative reasons:
- Poor outcome of conventional treatment
- Unwanted effects of drugs
- Negative experience of the GP relationship
- Health views not in line with conventional medicine
Positive reasons:
- Good outcome from complementary treatment
- Being an active participant in healthcare
- Positive experience of the practitioner relationship
- Health views in line with complementary medicine
Some of the therapies available are:
- Acupuncture
- Alexander Technique
- Aromatherapy
- Ayurveda
- Bowen Technique
- Chiropractic
- Chinese Herbal Medicine
- Counselling
- Reiki
- Rolfing
- Tai Chi
- Yoga
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