Alternative medicine broadly describes methods and practices used in place of, or in addition to, conventional medical treatments. The precise scope of alternative medicine is a matter of some debate and depends to a great extent on the definition of "conventional medicine." The debate on alternative medicine is complicated further by the diversity of treatments that are categorized as "alternative." These include practices that incorporate spiritual, metaphysical, or religious underpinnings; non-European medical traditions; newly develop ...

Including:

• Alternative medicine - Definitions
• Alternative medicine - A misleading term?
• Alternative medicine - Complementary and alternative medicine
• Alternative medicine - Regulation
• Alternative medicine - Contemporary use of alternative medicine
• Alternative medicine - Medical education
• Alternative medicine - Support for alternative medicine
• Alternative medicine - Efficacy
• Alternative medicine - Danger reduced when used as a complement to conventional medicine
• Alternative medicine - Criticism of alternative medicine
• Alternative medicine - Efficacy
• Alternative medicine - Safety

Read more here: » Alternative medicine: Encyclopedia - Alternative medicine

See also:

Alternative medicine, Alternative medicine - Definitions, Alternative medicine - A misleading term?, Alternative medicine - Complementary and alternative medicine, Alternative medicine - Regulation, Alternative medicine - Contemporary use of alternative medicine, Alternative medicine - Medical education, Alternative medicine - Support for alternative medicine, Alternative medicine - Efficacy, Alternative medicine - Danger reduced when used as a complement to conventional medicine, Alternative medicine - Criticism of alternative medicine, Alternative medicine - Efficacy, Alternative medicine - Safety

Read more here: » Alternative medicine: Encyclopedia II - Alternative medicine - Definitions

Holistic Medicine: The philosophy of holistic medicine states that the practitioner must use safe methods of diagnosis and treatment while emphasizing the care of the whole person, including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. Most forms of natural medicine adher to this basic definition of holistic medicine.

(See also: Holistic Medicine, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

AIDS is an acronym for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and is defined as a collection of symptoms and infections resulting from the depletion of the immune system caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, commonly called HIV (Marx et al., 1982). Although treatments for both AIDS and HIV exist to slow the virus' progression in a human patient, there is no known cure. The rate of clinical disease progression varies widely between individuals and has b ...

Including:

• AIDS - Infection by HIV
• AIDS - Symptomology
• AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions
• AIDS - Clinical symptoms of AIDS
• AIDS - Transmission
• AIDS - Prevention
• AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV
• AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission
• AIDS - Mother to child transmission
• AIDS - Treatment
• AIDS - Alternative medicine
• AIDS - HIV test
• AIDS - Epidemiology
• AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS
• AIDS - Alternative theories
• AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia - AIDS

AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions. Since 1981, many different definitions have been developed for epidemiological surveillance such as the Bangui definition and the 1994 expanded World Health Organization AIDS case definition. However, these were never intended to be used for clinical staging of patients, for which they are neither sensitive nor specific. The World Health Organizations (WHO) staging system for HIV infection and disease, using clinical and laboratory data, can be used in developing countries and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Classification System can be ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Diagnosis, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Symptoms, AIDS - The major pulmonary illnesses, AIDS - The major gastro-intestinal illnesses, AIDS - The major neurological illnesses, AIDS - HIV-associated malignancies, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Diagnosis

AIDS is the most severe manifestation of infection with HIV. HIV is a retrovirus that primarily infects vital components of the human immune system such as CD4+ T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. It also directly and indirectly destroys CD4+ T cells. As CD4+ T cells are required for the proper functioning of the immune system, when enough CD4+ cells have been destroyed by HIV, the immune system barely works, leading to AIDS. Acute HIV infection progresses over time to clinical latent HIV infection and then to early symptomatic HIV inf ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Symptomology, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - Clinical symptoms of AIDS, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Infection by HIV

The symptoms of AIDS are primarily the result of conditions that do not normally develop in individuals with healthy immune systems. Most of these conditions are infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and other organisms. Opportunistic infections are common in people with AIDS (Holmes et al., 2003). Nearly every organ system is affected. People with AIDS also have an increased risk to develop various cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma, cervical cancer and cancers of the immune system known as lymphomas. Common symptoms are fev ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Symptomology, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - Clinical symptoms of AIDS, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Symptomology

Since the beginning of the epidemic, three main transmission routes of HIV have been identified: Sexual route. The majority of HIV infections have been, and still are, acquired through unprotected sexual relations. Sexual transmission occurs when there is contact between sexual secretions of one partner with the rectal, genital or mouth mucous membranes of another. Blood or blood product route. This transmission route is particularly important for intravenous drug users, hemophiliacs and recipie ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Symptomology, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - Clinical symptoms of AIDS, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Transmission

The diverse transmission routes of HIV are well-known and established. Also well-known is how to prevent transmission of HIV. However, recent epidemiological and behavioral studies in Europe and North America have suggested that a substantial minority of young people continue to engage in high-risk practices and that despite HIV/AIDS knowledge, young people underestimate their own risk of becoming infected with HIV (Dias et al., 2005). However, transmission of HIV between intravenous drug users has clearly decreased and HIV transmission by blood transfusion has become almost obsolete in this population. AIDS - Prevention of ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Symptomology, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - Clinical symptoms of AIDS, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Prevention

LYMPH DRAINAGE THERAPY

Lymph Drainage Therapy is unique in that healthcare professionals learn how to palpate the lymphatic flow. As they develop their skills, they can then identify the rhythm, direction, and quality of the lymphatic flow.

Advanced practitioners will be able to precisely map the lymphatic flow to find alternate pathways for drainage. Developed by Bruno Chikly, M.D., Lymph Drainage Therapy evolved from years of training in traditional medicine, Oriental medicine practices, and manual therapies. (Definition provided by The Upledger Institute.)

(See also: LYMPH DRAINAGE THERAPY, Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

There is currently no cure or vaccine for HIV or AIDS. Infection with HIV leads to AIDS and ultimately death. However, in western countries, most patients survive many years following diagnosis because of the availability of the highly active antiretroviral therapy HAART (Schneider et al., 2005). In the absence of HAART, progression from HIV infection to AIDS occurs at a median of between nine to ten years and the median survival time after developing AIDS is only 9.2 months (Morgan et al., 2002b). HAART dramatically increases the time from diagnosis to death and research continues in drug t ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Symptomology, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - Clinical symptoms of AIDS, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Treatment

UNAIDS and the WHO estimate that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 3.1 million (between 2.8 and 3.6 million) lives in 2005 of which more than half a million (5 ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Symptomology, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - Clinical symptoms of AIDS, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Epidemiology

The official date for the beginning of the AIDS epidemic is marked as June 18, 1981, when the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported a cluster of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (now classified as Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia) in five gay men in Los Angeles in the early 1980s. [16] Originally dubbed GRID, or Gay-Related Immune Deficiency, health authorities soon realized that nearly half of the people identified with the syndrome were not gay. In 1982, the CDC introduced the term AIDS ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Symptomology, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - Clinical symptoms of AIDS, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS

A minority of scientists and activists question the connection between HIV and AIDS, or the existence of HIV, or the validity of current testing methods. These claims are met with resistance by, and often evoke frustration and hostility from, most of the scientific community, who accuse the dissidents of ignoring evidence in favor of HIV's role in AIDS, and irresponsibly posing a dangerous threat to public health by their continued activities. Dissidents assert that the current mainstream approach to AIDS, based on HIV causation, has resulte ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Symptomology, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - Clinical symptoms of AIDS, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Alternative theories

AIDS is the most severe manifestation of infection with HIV. HIV is a retrovirus that primarily infects vital components of the human immune system such as CD4+ T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. It also directly and indirectly destroys CD4+ T cells. As CD4+ T cells are required for the proper functioning of the immune system, when enough CD4+ cells have been destroyed by HIV, the immune system barely works, leading to AIDS. Acute HIV infection progresses over time to clinical latent HIV infection and then to early symptomatic HIV inf ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Diagnosis, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Symptoms, AIDS - The major pulmonary illnesses, AIDS - The major gastro-intestinal illnesses, AIDS - The major neurological illnesses, AIDS - HIV-associated malignancies, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Infection by HIV

The symptoms of AIDS are primarily the result of conditions that do not normally develop in individuals with healthy immune systems. Most of these conditions are infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that are normally controlled by the elements of the immune system that HIV damages. Opportunistic infections are common in people with AIDS [18]. Nearly every organ system is affected. People with AIDS also have an increased risk of developing various cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma, cervical cancer and cancers of the ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Diagnosis, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Symptoms, AIDS - The major pulmonary illnesses, AIDS - The major gastro-intestinal illnesses, AIDS - The major neurological illnesses, AIDS - HIV-associated malignancies, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Symptoms

Since the beginning of the epidemic, three main transmission routes of HIV have been identified: Sexual route. The majority of HIV infections have been, and still are, acquired through unprotected sexual relations. Sexual transmission occurs when there is contact between sexual secretions of one partner with the rectal, genital or mouth mucous membranes of another. Blood or blood product route. This transmission route is particularly important for intravenous drug users, hemophiliacs and recipie ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Diagnosis, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Symptoms, AIDS - The major pulmonary illnesses, AIDS - The major gastro-intestinal illnesses, AIDS - The major neurological illnesses, AIDS - HIV-associated malignancies, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Transmission

The diverse transmission routes of HIV are well-known and established. Also well-known is how to prevent transmission of HIV. However, recent epidemiological and behavioral studies in Europe and North America have suggested that a substantial minority of young people continue to engage in high-risk practices and that despite HIV/AIDS knowledge, young people underestimate their own risk of becoming infected with HIV.[45] However, transmission of HIV between intravenous drug users has clearly decreased, and HIV transmission by blood transfusion has become ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Diagnosis, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Symptoms, AIDS - The major pulmonary illnesses, AIDS - The major gastro-intestinal illnesses, AIDS - The major neurological illnesses, AIDS - HIV-associated malignancies, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Prevention

There is currently no cure for HIV or AIDS. Infection with HIV usually eventually leads to AIDS and ultimately death. However, in western countries, most patients survive many years following diagnosis because of the availability of the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)[64]. In the absence of HAART, progression from HIV infection to AIDS occurs at a median of between nine to ten years and the median survival time after developing AIDS is onl ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Diagnosis, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Symptoms, AIDS - The major pulmonary illnesses, AIDS - The major gastro-intestinal illnesses, AIDS - The major neurological illnesses, AIDS - HIV-associated malignancies, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Treatment

The official date for the beginning of the AIDS epidemic is marked as June 18, 1981, when the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported a cluster of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (now classified as Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia) in five gay men in Los Angeles. [75] Originally dubbed GRID, or Gay-Related Immune Deficiency, health authorities soon realized that nearly half of the people identified with the syndrome were not gay. In 1982, the CDC introduced the term AIDS ...

See also:

AIDS, AIDS - Infection by HIV, AIDS - Diagnosis, AIDS - AIDS and HIV case definitions, AIDS - HIV test, AIDS - Symptoms, AIDS - The major pulmonary illnesses, AIDS - The major gastro-intestinal illnesses, AIDS - The major neurological illnesses, AIDS - HIV-associated malignancies, AIDS - Transmission, AIDS - Prevention, AIDS - Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, AIDS - Prevention of blood or blood product route of HIV transmission, AIDS - Mother to child transmission, AIDS - Treatment, AIDS - Alternative medicine, AIDS - Epidemiology, AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS, AIDS - Alternative theories, AIDS - AIDS News

Read more here: » AIDS: Encyclopedia II - AIDS - Origin of HIV/AIDS