Alternative Medicine: The New Approach to Using Natural Therapies and Conventional Medicine

Alternative medicine refers to the medical practices, products and treatments, which are born from culture, tradition and pseudoscience. It includes treatments like acupuncture, Ayurveda, naturopathy, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, etc. Many complementary therapies are used in the management of chronic pain and in palliative care. Meditation, yoga, massage, counseling stress therapies and hypnotherapy are some of the bodywork therapies of alternative medicine. The understanding of the safety and efficacy of such medicine, interactions with conventional pharmaceuticals and side effects are vital concerns regarding the practice of alternative medicine and natural therapies. This book traces the progress in the fields of alternative medicine and natural therapies, and highlights some of their key concepts and techniques. It brings forth some of the most innovative practices and elucidates the unexplored aspects of alternative medicine. It will serve as a valuable source of reference for graduate and postgraduate students, as well as for experts.