COMPLEMENTARY ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES

Hi guys, I'm back. Today I'm going to talk about complementary alternative medicines. Click on my pages (Complementary Alternative Medicine) for references.

Medicine is an important element in the medical sector as it is necessary used to prevent, treat or fight against diseases or any health-related conditions. The used of complementary alternative medicines to overcome these problems is getting broaden days by days, even though in the rise of modern technologies. Complementary medicine is defined as a wide range of health intervention range from different cultures across thousands of years of history, whereas traditional medicine is defined as diverse health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating animals, plants and/in mineral-based medicines, spiritual therapies and exercises applied singularly or in combination to maintain wellbeing as well as to treat, diagnose or prevent illness.

Previously, old folks especially bound tightly to this complementary alternative medicines especially in a outskirts area where most of the people are illiterate. The desire not to accept the new and modern developed medicines led some people used these chances to scam other people. However, the used of theses complementary alternative medicines are proven effectiveness towards certain health conditions and nowadays, it is being accepted by most of the people. Thus, the national policy on traditional complementary have been implemented to; ensure the safety, quality and traditional complementary products are available to the public and to facilitate the integration of the traditional complementary medicines into the national healthcare systems.

The survey conducted by Ministry of Health Malaysia in 2009 covered all the states of Malaysia, and multi-staged and stratified by state and urban/rural areas based on the random sampling method reported that these traditional complementary medicines are widely practised among Malaysia regardless of races, gender and ages. The reported that this complementary alternative medicines can be divided into four:

• Mind-body medicine: meditation, hypnosis, prayers for health reason, exercise, dance and leisure,e.g., yoga, chi gong energy healing therapies, e.g., magnetic healing.

• Biologically based therapies: herbs, vitamin and supplement animal part application/beauty/ hygiene products, diet-based therapy, e.g., nutrition therapy.

• Manipulative and body-based practices: midwifery, bekam/cupping, massage bone therapy, e.g., rawatan patah tulang,

• Whole medical systems: acupuncture, ayurveda, homeopathy, and traditional chinese medicines.

Malaysia can be concluded as one of the counties that practice these traditional complementary medicines widely. Not denying the facts of the multiracial countries where different races and religions hold different perception and believed towards their so-called medicines. The uses of these medicines, however, need precautions. Some may induce a better health condition and some may inhibit better health conditions depending on the person’s health status, the current medication consumption, ages, gender and many other confounding factors. It is always better to seek the professional before proceeding to any alternatives.