Differences between conventional, complimentary and alternative therapies ?
This is an important question and one which needs to be discussed with a practitioner if you are in any doubt.
Conventional medicine.
This is what you typically receive from you GP; it is the modern day “Western” medicine. Such medicine has made great strides in the last 200 years and is responsible for the significant increase in life expectancy.
Complimentary treatments.
These therapies have been recognised as being complimentary, supportive, associated with conventional medicine. They include chiropractors, osteopaths, cranial therapists etc. In effect these are peripheral areas of western medicine that are generally provided outside of the state system and for which medical evidence has been obtained to justify its benefits.
Alternative therapies.
Alternative therapies are those which are generally not accepted by the medical profession. The absence from such recognised practices is due the lack of unequivocal scientific and quantative statistics to support their benefits.
Such therapies are by their very nature impossible to statistically or scientifically. This is because in alternative therapies such as Reiki, healing, aromatherapy etc every illness is considered a unique combination of variables and receives a unique treatment.
Despite more than 3,000 years of history, modern day scientists and even the practitioner can merely guess as to how they work. An Alternative practitioner knows that it does work and that is sufficient. However for most scientists and conventional thinkers such assurances are not sufficient for it to be recognised, so generally such treatments are not considered recognised NHS treatments.
Encouragingly, increasingly more progressive doctors are
recognising the merits of these treatments and how they can help the patient.