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COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE (CAM) THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
Concerns about overuse of technology, hazardous chemicals, high cost, multiple side effects of prescription drugs, and depersonalized treatment in today\'s health care settings have sent many
Americans in search of something better, which usually means lower in cost, less risky, and with positive outcomes. The shift to alternatives is not surprising, considering what has happened in other regions of the world. Reports of miracle cures from ancient remedies, more gentle and holistic means of treatment, and positive outcomes from alternative treatments have led many to seek answers from other cultures. In fact, a number of our recent pharmacological advances have their roots in the herbal remedies used in cultures throughout the world.
Historical perspectives
Eastern medicine, in particular, has been very influential in today\'s alternative therapies.
Chinese medicine and some of the world\'s ancient healing practices, such as Ayurvedic medicine, provide reasonable alternatives to traditional treatment.
Much of our knowledge of ancient remedies stems from teachings of Ayurvedic medicine, a method of treatment derived largely from ancient India. Ayurvedic practitioners diagnose mostly by observation and touch and then assign patients to one of three major constitutional types and to a variety of subtypes. Once classified, patients are treated mostly through dietary modifications and remedies that are primarily herbal and draw on the vast botanical wealth of the Indian subcontinent, but may include animal and mineral ingredients, even powdered gemstones. Other Ayurvedic treatments include steam baths and oil massages.
Another influential Eastern tradition of healing is traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a comprehensive system of diagnosis and treatment provided by Chinese immigrants and Westerners trained in China or numerous schools in other countries. In TCM, diagnosis is based on history, on observation of the body (especially the tongue), on palpation, and on pulse diagnosis, an elaborate procedure requiring considerable skill and experience. Treatment includes dietary change, massage, medicinal teas, and other preparations primarily from herbs, but also animal ingredients and acupuncture. Many Chinese herbal therapies are being studied in clinical trials throughout the United States today.
Current Patterns
National surveys performed outside the United States suggest that alternative medicine is popular throughout the industrialized world and has been for some time. Public opinion polls and consumer surveys in Europe and the United Kingdom suggest a high prevalence rate. Italy, France, Denmark, Finland, and Australia have been significant users of CAM for decades, as have Asian cultures. These surveys are typical of many others that confirm high usage patterns throughout the world.
Non-industrialized cultures of the world have had a rich and varied history of folk medicines, alternative therapies, and various \"healing modalities\" since the earliest beginnings of humanity.
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GENERAL HEALTH
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