Alternative Medicine and Its Application
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Date
2010-09-02
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Department for Development of Thai and Alternative Medicine
Abstract
Alternative medicine is an area of unconventional medicine that has attracted much interest in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Alternative medicine is most frequently used in complement with Western medicine; hence, it is also referred to as “Complementary and Alternative Medicine.” In Thailand, forms of alternative medicine, such as Thai massage, Thai herbal medicine, herbal steam and foment, are increasingly used to provide many patients with complementary care. It is also included under the National Health Security System. The main reasons for the increased use of alternative medicine worldwide are its ease of use, fewer side effects, and as its use as a supplement after treatment failure with conventional medicine. The results of literature reviews in the PubMed, ScienceDirect and the Cochrane Library databases revealed that alternative medicine can be used complementarily with conventional medicine in cancer, heart disease, mental health disorders and diabetes mellitus. In addition, it is also effective for relieving various kinds of pain, such as when acupuncture is used in the treatment of dysmenorrhea, labor pain, and rheumatoid arthritis.
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Journal of Traditional Thai \& Alternative Medicine; Vo. 7 No. 1 January-April 2009; 63-70