TRADITIONAL MEDICINE VS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

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TRADITIONAL MEDICINE VS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Health and well-being has been among the top priorities of humanity from ages with a common objective to meet people's inevitable requirements for emotional and physical curing. The role of religious values and community structures cannot be ignored in the evolution of medicines. People have exploited natural products in their surroundings in order to find remedial and protective approaches for various ailments (Debas et al., n.d). This paper attempts to compare and contrast the Traditional Medicine (TM) with the Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM).
Today, there is an increasing awareness of CAM in industrialized nations. Though the western medicine is scientifically based, and its popularity, supremacy, and guarantees are comparatively high, a large number of populations cannot afford its benefits. For instance, studies suggests that majority of people (80%) or more in developing nations can barely have enough money for the most fundamental medical dealings, drugs, and vaccines (Debas et al., n.d).
Traditional medicine (TM) as the word suggest "refers to health practices, approaches, information and values incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, used individually or in addition to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being". TM has gained popularity in countries such as Africa, Asia and Latin America for their basic health care requirements as it is more economical and is integrated with the societal values. There are data that suggests that 80% population in Africa is depending on traditional medicine for health care. When the indigenously developed TM moves out of its local boundaries and is practiced in other nations particularly the developed ones, it is known as "Complementary" or "Alternative medicine" (CAM) (Photius Coutsoukis, 2008). Hence it can be said that both TM and CAM have similarities in various aspects.
Since the vocabulary complementary and alternative medicines exemplify practices and products that common people decides as additions to or as substitutes to Western allopathic therapeutic approaches, these terms are being used indiscriminately (Straus 2004). In the industrial or the so called developed ...