Complementary and Alternative medicine

Bilal Hassan
M.Phil pharmaceutics

 Complementary medicine – therapies used
together with conventional medicine
 Alternative medicine – used in place of
conventional medicine
 Conventional medicine is practiced by holders
of M.D. or D.O. degrees and by allied health
professionals

 25% of all pharmaceutical drugs are derived
from herbs
 The emergence of CAM in the U.S.:
 Prior to 1990 little was known about who was using
CAM
 1993 – study showed that 1 in 3 Americans sought
some form of alternative care
 1997 – another follow up study revealed that 47% of
Americans were using some form of CAM

 Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine in
which thin needles are inserted into the body. It is
a key component of traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM). TCM theory and practice are not
based upon scientific knowledge, and acupuncture
is a pseudoscience. There is a diverse range of
acupuncture theories based on different
philosophies, and techniques vary depending on
the country. The method used in TCM is likely the
most widespread in the United States. It is most
often used for pain relief, though it is also used for
a wide range of other conditions. Acupuncture is
generally used only in combination with other
forms of treatment.

 The conclusions of many trials and
numerous systematic reviews of acupuncture
are largely inconsistent, which suggests that it
is not effective
 Acupuncture is generally safe when done by an
appropriately trained practitioner using clean
needle technique and single-use needles
 When properly delivered, it has a low rate of
mostly minor adverse effects

 The most frequently reported adverse events
were pneumothorax and infections. Since serious
adverse events continue to be reported, it is
recommended that acupuncturists be trained
sufficiently to reduce the risk
 Reusable needles when used should be sterilized
between applications. Needles vary in length
between 13 to 130 millimetres (0.51 to 5.12 in), with
shorter needles used near the face and eyes, and
longer needles in areas with thicker tissues; needle
diameters vary from 0.16 mm (0.006 in) to 0.46 mm
(0.018 in), with thicker needles used on more
robust patients.

 Conditions for treatment by acupuncture are
1.Pain
2.Lower back pain
3.Migraine
4.Arthritis and joint pains
5.Post operative pain
6.Nausea assosiated with cancer
7.Fatigue and sleep

 Massage is to work and act on the body with pressure.
Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands,
fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, feet, or a device. The
purpose of massage is generally for the treatment of
body stress or pain. People who are professionally
trained to give massages were traditionally known as
massage therapist .
 in professional settings, clients are treated while
lying on a massage table, sitting in a massage
chair, or lying on a mat on the floor. In amateur
settings, a general purpose surface like a bed or the
floor is more common

Muscles and soft tissues are pressed, rubbed and
manipulated.
Massage breaks the cycle in which the nervous
system stimulates muscles to contract causing
pain.
Muscles relax and lengthen
Pain relieving oxygen and blood floods the
muscles
The process of “touch” also is relaxing and
therapeutic

Water is applied to the body to stimulate and redirect
the flow of blood and lymph. This nourishes cells and
promotes regeneration of the tissues.
Heat causes the arteries and veins to expand and bring
in blood and lymph.
Cold make the arteries and veins constrict, pushing
blood and lymph away.
This in-and-out movement of blood and lymph brings
fresh oxygen and nutrients and helps removes toxins
and waste.

Techniques:
Showers
Baths
Water-soaked towels
Water-soaked sheets
Ie: Shower- alternate the hot andcold water along
the spine to stimulate the nervous system and
improve circulation to the abdomen, lungs and heart.

 Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy and also
called water cure, is a part of alternative medicine, in
particular of naturopathy, occupational
therapy and physiotherapy, that involves the use
of water for pain relief and treatment. The term
encompasses a broad range of approaches and
therapeutic methods that take advantage of the
physical properties of water, such as temperature and
pressure, for therapeutic purposes, to stimulate blood
circulation and treat the symptoms of certain diseases.
 Various therapies used in the present-day
hydrotherapy employ water jets, underwater massage
and mineral baths

 A hydrotherapy pool is a swimming pool
specifically designed for providing hydrotherapy
treatments. The main difference is the increase in
temperature. A hydrotherapy pool is heated to
around 35 degrees Celsius. This allows for the
patient to fully relax (and not tense up in cold
water), promotes pain relief and encourages
circulation. A hydrotherapy pool should be
rectangular in shape and may vary in depth to
allow for walking as well as deep water work. It
should be easily accessible and have a hoist
available to lower in those who are not able to
enter the pool themselves.

 Hydrotherapy can be very useful in treating many different types of soft
tissue and bone injury as well as neuromuscular conditions such as
muscular dystrophy.
 The benefits of hydrotherapy include:
 Pain relief.
 Reduction in muscle spasm.
 Increased joint range of motion.
 Strengthening of weak muscles.
 Increased circulation.
 Improvement of balance and co-ordination.
 Re-education of paralysed muscles.
 Because of the buoyancy of the water, hydrotherapy allows many
individuals to exercise, where they wouldn't be able to on land. The effect
of this increased buoyancy and decreased gravitational force means that
there is less stress on weight bearing joints such as the knees and hips and
many movements can be performed in water before they would be
possible on land.

 Hydrotherapy may be useful in the following conditions:
 Arthritis - both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
 Back pain.
 Musculoskeletal conditions - such as frozen shoulder, ankle
sprains and groin strains etc.
 Following surgery for conditions such as knee replacement, hip
replacement, ACL reconstruction (Anterior cruciate ligament
reconstruction (ACL reconstruction) is a surgical tissue graft replacement
of the anterior cruciate ligament, located in the knee, to restore its
function after an injury.) etc.
 Fibromyalgia (Fibromyalgia syndrome affects the muscles and soft tissue.
Symptoms include chronic muscle pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and
painful tender points or trigger points, which can be relieved through
medications, lifestyle changes and stress management).
 Neurological conditions including Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy,
Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons Disease etc.
 After strokes or head injuries.

 Used for 5000 years in ayurvedic medicines
 Stimulate digestion
 Boosts immune system
 Eliminate toxins
 Heal infections

 Natural Juice Therapy (NJT) has been used in one
guise or another for many centuries. It has been
used by some of the world’s most renowned
leaders in nutritional therapy for use in the
prevention and treatment of disease.
 NJT uses the unique blend of healing properties
found within the natural juices of fruits and
vegetables to aid the body to optimum health.
Freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juices furnish
the body with the perfect balance of vitamins,
minerals, amino acids, carbohydrates, anti-
oxidants and enzymes.

 The nutritional benefits of juicing are well
documented. There is a tremendous amount of
evidence supporting the use of Natural Juice
Therapy for the treatment of virtually all-
common ailments, as well as more serious
health conditions. At its most fundamental, the
pure liquid contained within every fruit and
vegetable designed for human consumption,
was designed by nature to both feed and heal
the body.

 When you extract the fresh juices from the fruit
and vegetables and drink them, the fresh
nutrients are more ‘bioavailable’ to your cells.
95% of all the nutrients are retained in the juice.

 We believe in disease is caused by either ‘Toxicity’
and/or ‘Deficiency’. Remove the incoming toxicity
(junk food; heavily processed foods; cigarettes;
alcohol; external pollutants; artificial substances;
etc) and replace any nutrient deficiency with the
aid of freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juices;
pure whole foods; clean water; etc, and the vast
majority of disease improves dramatically.
 A Natural Juice Therapist will address your
personal ‘deficiency vs. toxicity’ and will
recommend the use of natural juicing to readdress
the balance to achieve optimum health and
vibrancy.

 Natural Juice Therapy has helped millions of people
around the world with a number of health conditions.
 From high blood pressure to gout; skin conditions to
heart conditions; lethargy to weight problems. You
name it and Natural Juice Therapy has at some stage
been used to help treat it.
 A Natural Juice Therapist will not diagnose or claim to
cure, but will simply present the information and
scientific research to support the knowledge that
freshly extracted juicing can be extremely beneficial in
the treatment of almost every common aliment. To see
if Natural Juice Therapy is right for you, simply contact
your local therapist.

 The Bach Flower Remedy (BFRs) is a solution
of brandy and water.
 The water containing extreme
dilutions of flower material developed
by Edward Bach, an English homeopath, in the
1930s.
 Bach claimed that dew found on flower petals
retain imagined healing properties of that
plant. Systematic reviews of clinical trials of
Bach flower solutions have found no efficacy
beyond a placebo effect.

 There were total 38 remedies included in this
BFR.
 Each of the 38 remedies discovered by Dr Bach
is directed at a particular characteristic or
emotional state. To select the remedies you
need, think about the sort of person you are
and the way you are feeling.

 Agrimony - mental torture behind a cheerful face
 Aspen - fear of unknown things
 Beech - intolerance
 Centaury - the inability to say 'no'
 Cerato - lack of trust in one's own decisions
 Cherry Plum - fear of the mind giving way
 Chestnut Bud - failure to learn from mistakes
 Chicory - selfish, possessive love
 Clematis - dreaming of the future without working in the present
 Crab Apple - the cleansing remedy, also for self-hatred
 Elm - overwhelmed by responsibility
 Gentian - discouragement after a setback(delay of process)
 Gorse - hopelessness and despair
 Heather - self-centredness and self-concern
 Holly - hatred, envy and jealousy

 Honeysuckle - living in the past
 Hornbeam - tiredness at the thought of doing something
 Impatiens - impatience
 Larch - lack of confidence
 Mimulus - fear of known things
 Mustard - deep gloom (tension) for no reason
 Oak - the plodder(hard working) who keeps going past the point of
exhaustion
 Olive - exhaustion following mental or physical effort
 Pine - guilt
 Red Chestnut - over-concern for the welfare of loved ones
 Rock Rose - terror and fright
 Rock Water - self-denial, rigidity and self-repression
 Scleranthus - inability to choose between alternatives
 Star of Bethlehem - shock

 Sweet Chestnut - Extreme mental anguish, when everything
has been tried and there is no light left
 Vervain - over-enthusiasm
 Vine - dominance and inflexibility
 Walnut - protection from change and unwanted influences
 Water Violet - quiet self-reliance leading to isolation
 White Chestnut - unwanted thoughts and mental arguments
 Wild Oat - uncertainty over one's direction in life
 Wild Rose - drifting, resignation, apathy
 Willow - self-pity and resentment
 The original system also includes an emergency
combination remedy. Other pre-mixed combinations are
offered by many remedy producers, but they tend to be
ineffective because they are not chosen individually.

 Dr. Edward Bach discovered that flowers in
nature has the ability to affect our emotions
positively. The energies from different flowers
can remove our emotional pains and suffering.
He made sure that when he died in 1936 that
his original Bach Flower system would be
simple and easy for everyone to understand
and use.

 The Bach Flower Remedies work in conjunction
with herbs, homeopathy and medications and
are safe for everyone, including children,
pregnant women, pets, elderly and even plants.
 “The Greatest gift that you can give to others is to
be happy and hopeful yourself; then you draw them
up out of their despondency.” Edward Bach

 The original Bach Flower Remedies is a safe and
natural method of healing discovered by Dr. Bach
from 1920 – 1930’s in England. They gently restore
the balance between mind and body by casting out
negative emotions such as fear, worry, hatred and
indecision which interfere with the equilibrium of
the being as a whole. The Bach Flower Remedies
allow peace and happiness to return to the sufferer
so that the body is free to heal itself
 The Bach Flower Remedies are made from wild
flowers and are safe for the whole family including
pets.

 Homeo means similar and pathy means
suffering
 Homeopathy or homœopathy is a system
of alternative medicine created in 1796
by Samuel Hahnemann, based on his doctrine
of like cures like (similia similibus curentur), a
claim that a substance that causes the
symptoms of a disease in healthy people would
cure similar symptoms in sick people

 Homeopathy is a pseudoscience – a belief that
is incorrectly presented as scientific.
Homeopathic preparations are not effective for
treating any condition, large-scale studies have
found homeopathy to be no more effective than
a placebo, indicating that any positive effects
that follow treatment are only due to the
placebo effect, normal recovery from illness

 Homeopathy is not a plausible system of
treatment, as its dogmas about how drugs,
illness, the human body, liquids and solutions
operate are contradicted by a wide range of
discoveries across biology, psychology, physics
and chemistry made in the two centuries since
its invention

 Although some clinical trials produce positive
results, multiple systematic reviews have
indicated that this is because of chance, flawed
research methods, and reporting bias.
Homeopathic practice has been criticized as
unethical because it discourages the use of
effective treatments, with the World Health
Organization warning against using
homeopathy to try to treat severe diseases such
as HIV and malaria.

 Hahnemann ingested some bark specifically to
investigate what would happen. He experienced
fever, shivering and joint pain: symptoms similar
to those of malaria itself. From this, Hahnemann
came to believe that all effective drugs produce
symptoms in healthy individuals similar to those
of the diseases that they treat, in accord with the
"law of similars" that had been proposed by
ancient physicians.
 An account of the effects of eating cinchona bark
noted by Oliver Wendell Holmes, and published in
1861, failed to reproduce the symptoms
Hahnemann reported.

 In homeopathy, a solution that is more dilute is
described as having a higher "potency", and
more dilute substances are considered by
homeopaths to be stronger and deeper-acting.
The end product is often so diluted as to be
indistinguishable from the diluent (pure water,
sugar or alcohol).
 Two methods of dilution prepartion
1. Centecimal
2. Decimal

 Acupressure is an alternative
medicine technique similar in principle
to acupuncture. It is based on the concept of life
energy which flows through "meridians" in the
body. In treatment, physical pressure is applied
to acupuncture points with the aim of clearing
blockages in these meridians. Pressure may be
applied by hand, by elbow, or with various
devices.

 Some medical studies have suggested that
acupressure may be effective at helping
manage nausea and vomiting, for helping
lower back pain, tension headaches, stomach
ache, among other things, although such
studies have been found to have a high
likelihood of bias. Like many alternative
medicines, it may benefit from a placebo effect.

 Acupoints used in treatment may or may not
be in the same area of the body as the targeted
symptom. The traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM) theory for the selection of such
points and their effectiveness is that they work
by stimulating the meridian system to bring
about relief

 There are several different instruments for applying nonspecific
pressure by rubbing, rolling, or applying pressure on the reflex
zones of the body. The acuball is a small ball made of rubber with
protuberances that is heatable. It is used to apply pressure and
relieve muscle and joint pain. The energy roller is a small cylinder
with protuberances. It is held between the hands and rolled back
and forth to apply acupressure. The foot roller (also "krupa
chakra") is a round, cylindrical roller with protuberances. It is
placed on the floor and the foot is rolled back and forth over it.
The power mat (also pyramid mat) is a mat with small pyramid-
shaped bumps that you walk on. The spine roller is a bumpy
roller containing magnets that is rolled up and down the spine.
The Teishein is one of the original nine classical acupuncture
needles described in the original texts of acupuncture. Even
though it is described as an acupuncture needle it did not pierce
the skin. It is used to apply rapid percussion pressure to the points
being treated.

 Aromatherapy is a type of alternative medicine
practice utilizing fragrant/aromatic essential
oils that are derived from a wide variety of
healing plants. When inhaled or applied to the
skin, therapeutic-grade essential oils (also
sometimes called volatile oils) have been
shown to help people overcome various health
problems without the need for medications.

 Aromatherapy is the practice of using the
natural oils extracted from flowers, bark, stems,
leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to
enhance psychological and physical well-
being.
 The inhaled aroma from these "essential" oils is
widely believed to stimulate brain function.
Essential oils can also be absorbed through the
skin, where they travel through the
bloodstream and can promote whole-body
healing.

 A form of alternative medicine, aromatherapy
is gaining momentum. It is used for a variety of
applications, including pain relief, mood
enhancement and increased cognitive function
 There are a wide number of essential oils
available, each with its own healing
properties.

 Plants contain certain beneficial chemicals as a means
of protecting themselves, including to ward off insects
or rodents, and to defend themselves from bacteria or
viruses.
 The active ingredients within the oils are taken directly
from high yields of medicinal plants or herbs through a
process known as distillation, then mixed with alcohol
to preserve their strength. The finished result is a very
concentrated oily formula that can be mixed with other
substances.
 Because they’re very strong, essential oils used in
aromatherapy practices are usually combined with a
carrier oil, such almond, jojoba or coconut oil, before
being applied directly to the skin.

 Aromatherapy can be performed in several
different ways:
 Diffusing a combination of essential oils into
the air (or just one single oil)
 Inhaling oils through the nostrils directly off of
a cloth or from the bottle
 Receiving massage therapy utilizing oils
 Soaking in an oil-infused bath
 Rubbing oils directly onto the skin

 Research shows that when used at home, most people use
aromatherapy oil candles, apply natural products containing oils
to their skin or add oils directly to a soaking bath/warm
shower. What types of plants produce popular essential oils
used in aromatherapy? These include:
 Herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano or peppermint
 Leaves from eucalyptus plants
 Grasses, such as lemongrass
 Fennel seeds
 Zest from fruits such as oranges, grapefruit or lemon
 Flowers, including rose or geranium
 Wood or bark from trees including cedar or pine
 Roots from ginger
 Resin from frankincense trees
 And many more

Aromatherapy has been studied in connection with improving both short-term health
problems, along with more serious disorders. Research shows that anyone with the
following health conditions can likely benefit from aromatherapy:
 Chronic stress or anxiety
 Depression
 Insomnia and trouble sleeping
 Muscle pain
 Joint pain
 Respiratory infections
 Digestive upset
 PMS or menopause symptoms
 Skin problems or disorders, including bites, rashes, bruising, cellulite or acne
 Blood sugar fluctuations
 Cancer
 Fatigue

 A growing pool of both human and animal studies
has shown that aromatherapy oils can have both
sedative and stimulant effects, plus positive effects on
the immune system and central nervous system.
Recently, studies conducted using functional imaging
scans have showed that fragrant aromatherapy oils
have positive effects on the primitive region in the
brain called the limbic system, which helps control
both emotional responses and behaviors.
 The key to achieving results from aromatherapy is to
use pure, therapeutic-grade oils rather than those with
synthetic ingredients or fragrances. The effectiveness
of aromatherapy practices always depends on the
quality of the oils used, plus the dosage.

 Reflexology, also known as zone therapy, is
an alternative medicine involving application
of pressure to the feet and hands with specific
thumb, finger, and hand techniques without
the use of oil or lotion. It is based on
a pseudoscientific system of zones and reflex
areas that purportedly reflect an image of the
body on the feet and hands, with the premise
that such work effects a physical change to the
body.

 Reflexology is gentle manipulation or pressing on certain
parts of the foot to produce an effect elsewhere in the body
 Reviews from 2009 and 2011 have not found evidence
sufficient to support the use of reflexology for any medical
condition. A 2009 systematic review of randomized
controlled trials concludes: "The best evidence available to
date does not demonstrate convincingly that reflexology is
an effective treatment for any medical condition.“
 In 2015 the Australian Government's Department of Health
published the results of a review of alternative therapies that
sought to determine if any were suitable for being covered
by health insurance reflexology was one of 17 therapies
evaluated for which no clear evidence of effectiveness was
found.

 There is no consensus among reflexologists on how
reflexology is supposed to work; a unifying theme is the
idea that areas on the foot correspond to areas of the body,
and that by manipulating these one can improve health
through one's QI
 Reflexologists divide the body into ten equal vertical zones,
five on the right and five on the left. Concerns have been
raised by medical professionals that treating potentially
serious illnesses with reflexology, which has no proven
efficacy, could delay the seeking of appropriate medical
treatment.
 Reflexology's claim to manipulate energy (Qi) is
unsupported by science; there is no scientific evidence for
the existence of life energy (Qi), 'energy balance', 'crystalline
structures,' or 'pathways' in the body.

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