7 / 9
Page 40
Notes:
3
rd
International Conference on
Health Care and
Health Management
Joint Event
&
November 04-05, 2019 | Prague, Czech Republic
6
th
International Conference on
Neuroscience and
Neurological Disorders
Journal of Public Health Policy and Planning | Volume 3
Alternative medicine: Doubtful treatment or a powerful healing force
Roger Haw Boon Hong
Ansted University, Malaysia
A
lternativemedicineisanapproachtohealingusedinplace
of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine, on
the other hand, is used together with conventional medicine.
For example, if a special diet is used to treat cancer in place
of surgery recommended by a conventional doctor, the diet
would serve as an alternative therapy. However, if a special
diet were used to combat high cholesterol levels in a patient
with heart disease, in addition to coronary artery bypass
surgery, the diet would serve as a complementary therapy.
Since the same therapy can serve as either complementary
or alternative, the various therapies outside the domain of
conventional medicine are often grouped together under
the term CAM (complementary and alternative medicine)
therapies. The increasing interest in alternative medicine,
which attempts to treat a patient’s body, mind, and spirit, can
be viewed as a measure of the spiritual hunger in our high-
tech society. The desire within the medical community to
integrate treatments for a patient’s spiritual needs as well as
physical needs is validating the importance of pastoral care
in the hospital setting. Perhaps an approach to healing that
makes use of the strengths of both conventional medicine and
alternative medicine would enable a person to experience
the best of both medical worlds. The forms of alternative
medicine with scientific backing could be used to maintain
health and increase physical fitness, while conventional
medicine could be used to accurately diagnose and eradicate
disease. Certain cautions, however, should be observed.
e
:
bnhaw123@gmail.com