Alternative medicine professionals use traditional healing practices to treat patients. In this profession, knowledge is needed about various holistic healing practices and natural medicine. Acupuncture and acupressure, hypnotherapy, reiki, chiropractic, and massage therapy are all considered alternative medicine treatments. An alternative medicine practitioner typically practices complementary medicine, which seeks to improve modern medical treatments and medications with traditional treatments such as herbs.
The term “alternative” in the term “alternative medicine” does not mean that it is an effective alternative to medical science. School accreditation is similar to licensing in that there is no agency that approves alternative medicine. Your tasks and duties will vary greatly when you decide to pursue alternative medicine. Integrative medicine is considered more acceptable in the interdisciplinary approach used in palliative care than in other areas of medicine. As with conventional therapies, drugs and interventions, it can be difficult to test the effectiveness of alternative medicine in clinical trials.
For example, if you earned a bachelor's degree in general alternative medicine, consider enrolling in a master's program and learning a specialty. Those who practice integrative or complementary medicine may work in hospitals, conventional medical clinics, or rehabilitation centers. The history of alternative medicine can refer to the history of a group of diverse medical practices that were collectively promoted as alternative medicine starting in the 1970s, to the collection of individual stories of members of that group, or to the history of Western medical practices that the Western medical institution described as irregular practices. Government agencies in the U. S.
and other places have published information or guidance on alternative medicine. In Latin America, inequalities against BIPOC communities keep them tied to their traditional practices and, therefore, it is often these communities that constitute the majority of users of alternative medicine. Returning to school for an advanced degree can help you advance in many fields of alternative medicine. The use of alternative medicine in the West began to increase after the countercultural movement of the 1960s, as part of the growing new-era movement of the 1970s. Forms of alternative medicine that are biologically active can be dangerous even when used in conjunction with conventional medicine. Alternative Medicine Practitioners are healthcare professionals who use traditional healing practices to treat patients.
They are knowledgeable about various holistic healing practices and natural medicines such as acupuncture and acupressure, hypnotherapy, reiki, chiropractic, massage therapy and herbs. Alternative Medicine Practitioners may work in hospitals, conventional medical clinics or rehabilitation centers. They may also specialize in integrative or complementary medicines. Alternative Medicine Practitioners must understand the risks associated with using biologically active forms of alternative medicines alongside conventional treatments. They must also be aware of government regulations regarding alternative medicines and school accreditation for practitioners. In Latin America, BIPOC communities are often tied to their traditional practices and rely heavily on Alternative Medicine Practitioners for their healthcare needs.
It is important for Alternative Medicine Practitioners to understand the cultural context when treating patients from these communities. Alternative Medicine Practitioners must also be aware of the history of alternative medicines and how it has evolved over time since its emergence in the 1970s. They must also understand how to test the effectiveness of alternative medicines through clinical trials. Overall, Alternative Medicine Practitioners play an important role in providing holistic healthcare solutions for patients who seek out traditional healing practices.