Traditional medicine or sometimes called alternative medicine has made a comeback. Various countries and cultures around the world handle healthcare and the medical profession differently than each other. While modern medicine has touched most every society, some countries are still more in line with traditional medicine and its practices. These types of medicinal practices are also even more popular throughout the western world these days, with natural herbal remedies and things of that nature in play. If you thought medicine in its traditional form was referring to modern medicine, think again.
Traditions in medicine have certainly changed over the years. Prior to modern medicine, you may have heard about certain practices being referred to as folk medicine. There is also the less favorable term used, which is known as indigenous medicine. Indigenous cultures certainly had their medicinal practices, but the use of that phrase makes it sound like their remedies would be outdated. In fact, there are some medicinal remedies that have been used for centuries and are still used today.
What do you know about essential oils? When you start looking at them in detail, you certainly see numerous ties to traditional medicine. In fact, when you run across examples like frankincense oil, you might notably remember the mention of this in the Bible. If some of these medicinal remedies were used during biblical times, that’s about as traditional as it gets.
When exploring folk medicine, what other natural and traditional remedies do you find? Chinese medicine is fascinating to many people, going back to ancient times. Each part of the world has their own approach, cures and remedies. Nowadays, with modern medicine having long been in place, folk medicine is also often referred to as ‘alternative medicine.’
Chiropractic care is even considered to be a form of alternative medicine. Modern medicine has become so complex and so studied that all natural forms of care seem to have fallen to the wayside. African culture has taken a hit as far as how it chooses to deal with certain health conditions and growing health concerns. Yet, there is an entire culture of traditional medical practices in Africa of course as well.
Don’t forget to think about the newer natural remedies that have been discovered. You see, people don’t forget about folk medicine and instead keep growing the field. More and more natural remedies are discovered every year. In other words, some of those home remedies you find on the web might be more modern than you think, though not classified as modern medicine by any means.
There are different historical periods when it comes to studying folk medicine or alternative medicine. One such period is Colonial America. As you can tell, the periods can also be classified according to geographical location when being studied. Are there any safety concerns when using traditional medicinal remedies? Modern medicine would say yes, in many ways there are.
Overlooking tried and true cures to opt for natural treatment isn’t always the best idea if you’re talking to modern medical professionals. However, you can always combine treatment options, too. Overall, you want your treatment to be handled the way you desire it to be, and modern medicine may not be the only answer.