Alternative medicine as defined in the western world is any medical product or procedure that is not considered part of standard medical practice as used in such countries as the United States or Canada.http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/complementaryandalternativemedicine.html Proponents of this type of care may make many claims about the safety and efficacy of their products and services but many of these products have not been subjected to clinical study. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/complementaryandalternativemedicine.html

Alternative medicine, also called CAM for complementary and alternative medicine, consists of several different disciplines for treating the ailments of humans and animals. Acupuncture and acupressure utilize pressure points to relieve energy buildup and reroute that energy in an effort to eliminate or control a problem. Herbal medicine uses the properties of various botanical products to reduce symptoms of an ailment or eliminate it completely.http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/ This practice also covers homeopathy which uses a minute amount of a substance that simulates the same symptoms of a particular disease to affect a cure.http://nccam.nih.gov/health/homeopathy/ Chiropractic medicine effects relief by adjusting the musculoskeletal system on the premise that something wrong there can affect the entire body. In massage therapy ideas from acupressure, acupuncture and chiropractics to provide improvement primarily in stress related problems. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/

What western culture terms alternative remedies have actually been used for thousands of years in cultures throughout the world. Since history began humans have been using what they had on hand to care for others who were suffering from maladies or injuries. The methods used were dictated by cultural and religious rules as well as direct observation of what worked and what didn't without any real scientific study.http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/212160/folk-medicine A number of modern medicines came from information that was previously relegated to old wives tales or folk medicine. Many more valid treatments may be discovered through the scientific study of alternative medicines and techniques.http://www.jstor.org/pss/1260294

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