What is Complementary Medicine?

Alternative Medicine was basically the Traditional Medicinal system of people before the advent of pharmaceuticals. To deal with the day-to-day conditions of illness and the like, people evolved certain sets of techniques, procedures and methodologies to help manage the general healthcare of the tribe, society or culture.

Early Traditional Medicinal systems had the following elements in common:

• Herbal medicines and often formulae for specific conditions
• Diagnostic systems that involve looking at the tongue, the skin, palpation, feeling the pulse or others
• Body work that may or may not involve the application of oils and herbals
• Philosophical systems that would guide the whole body of knowledge

These elements are included in Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Unani and Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as Chiropractic and Osteopathy. Complementary Medicine is a fusion of methods found in Natural/Alternative Medicine and Allopathic Medicine.