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

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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

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The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine defines complementary and alternative medicine as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine". One distinction that the NCCAM makes is that complementary medicine is used in conjunction with conventional medicine whereas alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. The NCCAM also defines integrative medicine as the combination of "mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies for whi ...

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Alternative medicine, 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 - Complementary and alternative medicine

Medicine is the branch of health science concerned with maintaining human health or restoring it through the treatment of disease and injury. It is both an area of knowledge – a science of body systems, their diseases and treatment – and the applied practice of that knowledge. The practice of medical care is shared between the medical profession (physicians or doctors) and other groups of professionals such as nurses and pharmacists (sometimes known as allied health professionals). Historically, only th ...

Including:

• Medicine - History of medicine
• Medicine - Practice of medicine
• Medicine - Healthcare delivery systems
• Medicine - Patient-doctor relationship
• Medicine - Clinical skills
• Medicine - Settings where medical care is delivered
• Medicine - Branches of medicine
• Medicine - Basic sciences
• Medicine - Diagnostic specialties
• Medicine - Clinical disciplines
• Medicine - Interdisciplinary fields
• Medicine - Medical education
• Medicine - Medical devices
• Medicine - Legal restrictions
• Medicine - Criticism

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Physical therapy (also known as physiotherapy) is a health profession concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and disability through physical means. It is based upon principles of medical science, and is generally held to be within the sphere of conventional (rather than alternative) medicine. Physiotherapy is practiced by physiotherapists (also known as physical therapists, e.g. in the United States), though aspects may also be practiced under supervised delegation by physiotherapy assi ...

Including:

• Physical therapy - Scope of practice
• Physical therapy - History of physiotherapy
• Physical therapy - Assessment
• Physical therapy - Treatment
• Physical therapy - Musculoskeletal physiotherapy
• Physical therapy - Cardiopulmonary physiotherapy
• Physical therapy - Neurological physiotherapy
• Physical therapy - Physiotherapy education
• Physical therapy - Qualifications in the United States

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See also clinic, hospital, and hospice Medicine is a diverse field and the provision of medical care is therefore provided in a variety of locations. Primary care medical services are provided by physicians or other health professionals who has first contact with a patient seeking medical treatment or care. These occur in physician's office, clinics, nursing homes, schools, home visits and other places close to patients. About 90% of medical visits can be treated by the primary care provider. These include treatment of acute and chronic illne ...

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Medicine, Medicine - History of medicine, Medicine - Practice of medicine, Medicine - Healthcare delivery systems, Medicine - Patient-doctor relationship, Medicine - Clinical skills, Medicine - Settings where medical care is delivered, Medicine - Branches of medicine, Medicine - Basic sciences, Medicine - Diagnostic specialties, Medicine - Clinical disciplines, Medicine - Interdisciplinary fields, Medicine - Medical education, Medicine - Medical devices, Medicine - Legal restrictions, Medicine - Criticism

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Working together as an interdisciplinary team, many highly trained health professionals besides medical practitioners are involved in the delivery of modern health care. Some examples include: nurses, laboratory scientists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians and bioengineers. The scope and sciences underpinning human medicine overlap many other fields. Dentistry and psychology, while separate disciplines from medicine, are sometimes also considered medical fields. Physician assistants ...

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Medicine, Medicine - History of medicine, Medicine - Practice of medicine, Medicine - Healthcare delivery systems, Medicine - Patient-doctor relationship, Medicine - Clinical skills, Medicine - Settings where medical care is delivered, Medicine - Branches of medicine, Medicine - Basic sciences, Medicine - Diagnostic specialties, Medicine - Clinical disciplines, Medicine - Interdisciplinary fields, Medicine - Medical education, Medicine - Medical devices, Medicine - Legal restrictions, Medicine - Criticism

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See also Medical doctor (BE), Physician (AE), and Medical school. Medical training involves several years of university study followed by several more years of residential practice at a hospital. Entry to a medical degree in some countries (such as the United States) requires the completion of another degree first, while in other countries (such as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand) medical training can be commenced as an undergraduate ...

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Medicine, Medicine - History of medicine, Medicine - Practice of medicine, Medicine - Healthcare delivery systems, Medicine - Patient-doctor relationship, Medicine - Clinical skills, Medicine - Settings where medical care is delivered, Medicine - Branches of medicine, Medicine - Basic sciences, Medicine - Diagnostic specialties, Medicine - Clinical disciplines, Medicine - Interdisciplinary fields, Medicine - Medical education, Medicine - Medical devices, Medicine - Legal restrictions, Medicine - Criticism

Read more here: » Medicine: Encyclopedia II - Medicine - Medical education

See also the main articles: implant, artificial limbs, corrective lenses, cochlear implants, ocular prosthetics, facial prosthetics, somato prosthetics, surgical prosthetics, maxillo-facial prosthetics and dental implants Medical devices are devices used by health professionals as tools in diagnosis, treatment, or other aspects of patient care. ...

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Medicine, Medicine - History of medicine, Medicine - Practice of medicine, Medicine - Healthcare delivery systems, Medicine - Patient-doctor relationship, Medicine - Clinical skills, Medicine - Settings where medical care is delivered, Medicine - Branches of medicine, Medicine - Basic sciences, Medicine - Diagnostic specialties, Medicine - Clinical disciplines, Medicine - Interdisciplinary fields, Medicine - Medical education, Medicine - Medical devices, Medicine - Legal restrictions, Medicine - Criticism

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Criticism of medicine has a long history. In the Middle Ages, it was not considered a profession suitable for Christians, as disease was considered Godsent, and interfering with the process a form of blasphemy. Barber-surgeons generally had a bad reputation that was not to improve until the development of academic surgery as a speciality of medicine, rather than an accessory field. Through the course of the twentieth century, doctors focused increasingly on the technology that was enabling them to make dramatic improvements in patient ...

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Medicine, Medicine - History of medicine, Medicine - Practice of medicine, Medicine - Healthcare delivery systems, Medicine - Patient-doctor relationship, Medicine - Clinical skills, Medicine - Settings where medical care is delivered, Medicine - Branches of medicine, Medicine - Basic sciences, Medicine - Diagnostic specialties, Medicine - Clinical disciplines, Medicine - Interdisciplinary fields, Medicine - Medical education, Medicine - Medical devices, Medicine - Legal restrictions, Medicine - Criticism

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The practice of medicine combines both science and art. Science and technology are the evidence base for many clinical problems for the general population at large. The art of medicine is the application of this medical knowledge in combination with intuition and clinical judgment to determine the proper diagnoses and treatment plan for this unique patient and to treat the patient accordingly. Central to medicine is the patient-doctor relationship established when a person with a health concern or problem seeks the help of a physician ...

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Medicine, Medicine - History of medicine, Medicine - Practice of medicine, Medicine - Healthcare delivery systems, Medicine - Patient-doctor relationship, Medicine - Clinical skills, Medicine - Settings where medical care is delivered, Medicine - Branches of medicine, Medicine - Basic sciences, Medicine - Diagnostic specialties, Medicine - Clinical disciplines, Medicine - Interdisciplinary fields, Medicine - Medical education, Medicine - Medical devices, Medicine - Legal restrictions, Medicine - Criticism

Read more here: » Medicine: Encyclopedia II - Medicine - Practice of medicine

Main articles: Medical education and Medical school Medical education is education related to the practice of being a medical practitioner, either the initial training to become a doctor or further training thereafter. Medical education and training varies considerably across the world, however typically involves entry level education at a university medical school, followed by a period of supervised practise and possibly postgraduate vocational training. Continuing medical education is ...

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Medicine, Medicine - History of medicine, Medicine - Practice of medicine, Medicine - Healthcare delivery systems, Medicine - Patient-doctor relationship, Medicine - Clinical skills, Medicine - Settings where medical care is delivered, Medicine - Branches of medicine, Medicine - Basic sciences, Medicine - Diagnostic specialties, Medicine - Clinical disciplines, Medicine - Interdisciplinary fields, Medicine - Medical education, Medicine - Medical devices, Medicine - Legal restrictions, Medicine - Criticism

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Medicine as it is practiced now is rooted in various traditions, but developed mainly in the late 18th and early 19th century in Germany (Rudolf Virchow) and France (Jean-Martin Charcot, Claude Bernard and others). The new, "scientific" medicine replaced earlier Western traditions of medicine, mostly based on the "four humours" and other pre-modern theories. The focal points of development of clinical medicine shifted to the United Kingdom and the USA by the early 1900s (Sir William Osler, Harvey Cushing). Evidence-based medicine is t ...

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Medicine, Medicine - History of medicine, Medicine - Practice of medicine, Medicine - Healthcare delivery systems, Medicine - Patient-doctor relationship, Medicine - Clinical skills, Medicine - Settings where medical care is delivered, Medicine - Branches of medicine, Medicine - Basic sciences, Medicine - Diagnostic specialties, Medicine - Clinical disciplines, Medicine - Interdisciplinary fields, Medicine - Medical education, Medicine - Medical devices, Medicine - Legal restrictions, Medicine - Criticism

Read more here: » Medicine: Encyclopedia II - Medicine - History of medicine

Health science - Conventional Western practices. Allopathic medicine Athletic training Dentistry Epidemiology Genetic counseling Medical physics Medicine Nursing Nutrition Occupational therapy Optometry Osteopathy Pharmacology Physical therapy (physiotherapy) Psychoanalysis Psychotherapy, including Cognitive therapy Public health Physical education Surgery, including ...

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Health science, Health science - Historical overview, Health science - Acquisition of health-related knowledge, Health science - Application of health-related knowledge, Health science - Health delivery, Health science - Contemporary themes, Health science - Health practices, Health science - Conventional Western practices, Health science - Complementary and alternative medicine, Health science - Spiritually-based healing, Health science - Traditional medicine and folk medicine, Health science - Health practices of historical interest

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OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE

This system of comprehensive medical care goes beyond conventional medical philosophy to include an emphasis on structural balance of the musculoskeletal system.

Osteopathic physicians use joint manipulation, postural re-education, and physical therapy to normalize the body’s structure and promote healing. Most medical conditions are amenable to osteopathic healing. In some cases, osteopathy has been show to resolve illnesses resistant to surgery and other medical approaches.

(See also: OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE, Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE

Naturopathy integrates a wide range of natural therapeutics emphasizing the healing power of nature to treat the causes of disease, rather than suppressing the symptoms.

As part of a holistic medical healthcare system with an emphasis on education and prevention, the naturopathic physician seeks to motivate the individual toward a healthy and balanced diet, lifestyle, and mental attitude.

Treatments such as homeopathic medicines, clinical nutrition, traditional Oriental medicine, and acupuncture are used to enhance the body’s natural healing process.

(See also: NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE, Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

Due to the wide range of therapies that are considered to be "alternative medicine" few criticisms apply across the board. For more information about a particular therapy or branch of alternative medicine, including specific criticism, please refer to the following link: List of branches of alternative medicine. Criticisms directed at specific branches of alternative medicine range from the fairly minor (conventional treament is believed to be more effective in a particular area) to in ...

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Alternative medicine, 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 - Criticism of alternative medicine

Jurisdiction differs concerning which branches of alternative medicine are legal, which are regulated, and which (if any) are provided by a government-controlled health service or reimbursed by a private health medical insurance company. A number of alternative medicine advocates disagree with the restrictions of government agencies that approve medical treatments (such as the American Food and Drug Administration) and the agencies' adherence to experimental evaluation methods. They claim that this impedes those seeking to bring usefu ...

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Alternative medicine, 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 - Regulation

Edzard Ernst wrote in the Medical Journal of Australia that "about half the general population in developed countries use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)" (Ernst 2003). A survey (Barnes et al 2004) released in May 2004 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health in the United States, found that in 2002, 36% of Americans used some form of alternative therapy in the past 12 months — a category that included yoga, meditation, herbal treatments and the Atkins ...

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Alternative medicine, 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 - Contemporary use of alternative medicine

Advocates of alternative medicine hold that alternative therapies often provide the public with services not available from conventional medicine. This argument covers a range of areas, such as patient empowerment, alternative methods of pain management, treatment methods that support the biopsychosocial model of health, cures for specific health concerns, stress reduction services, other preventive health services that are not typically a part of conventional medicine, and of course complementary medicine's palliative care which is practiced by such world ren ...

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Alternative medicine, 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 - Support for alternative medicine