Alternative medicine is a very broad term that can refer to a number of treatments. The main factor is that alternative medicine is not usually practiced in conventional medicine. Nevertheless despite being called 'alternative' many of these alternative treatments are now being utilised in conventional medicine. For example acupuncture has become widely used and most GPs are trained to consider it. Finding the right alternative medicine for your ailment is an exciting time. Often it feels great to find a new therapy that doesn't involve conventional medicine.

Some of the largest branches of alternative medicine are homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic medicine and herbal medicine. Although each of these offer a very different service to the next they are all similar in that they seek different methods to heal that conventional medicine. In the past many of these techniques were treated dismissively but nowadays these types alternative medicine have gained a great deal more credence. A greater amount of scientific research has been undertaken and many of these now receive greater respect.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy was first practiced in the late 18th century in Germany. A physician named Samual Hahnemann wrote a book titled the Organon of healing which laid out a number of recipes for a number of remedies that were designed to help disease. Early critics described this form of medicine as a 'placebo therapy at best and quackery at worse'. It has gained greater respect in modern times. Homeopathic remedies use ingredients that when diluted cause symptoms similar to those that they seek to alleviate. Homeopaths mix their medicines carefully in an attempt to develop the special properties of the remedy.

Naturopathy

Naturopathic medicine covers a vast range of different therapies with a general concern toward a holistic approach to healing. It incorporates practices such as acupuncture, counselling, aromatherapy and hydrotherapy. Naturopathy practitioners tend to try and avoid invasive surgery and synthetic drugs. They prefer to utilise natural alternatives to initiate healing. Nevertheless trained homeopathy practitioners do use diagnostic tests such as blood tests to help them decide upon a course of treatment.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic medicine deals mainly with your musculoskeletal system. The technical term for one of the techniques that a chiropractor uses is vertibal subluxation. This basically means manipulation of the spine and this is what chiropractors are famous for. They can generally diagnose problems with your posture and address them with a number of manoeuvres that involve physically moving your body into shape. This type of procedure was invented in 1895 in the US and it is now practiced all over the world.

Herbal medicine

There is evidence that suggests herbal medicine dates back over 60,000 years. Neanderthal people are said to have consumed medicinal plants. This practice is at the core of herbal medicine. Herbalism has refined this concept to create medicines that utilise medicinal plants. Many of the medicinal plants that herbal medicine utilise are part of our general diet for example garlic, vanilla, ginger and oregano are all used to help alleviate symptoms of illness.