Differences of Conventional and Complementary Medicine

Conventional medicine is considered modern western allopathic medicine. It is the most common medicine in practice used today throughout the country.

Complimentary medicine represents a diverse group of healing based practices that have been in existence for hundreds of years throughout the world. Complimentary and alternative medicine or (CAM) refers to treatments and practices that fall outside the realm of mainstream healthcare.

It has only been in the past few decades that we are seeing doctors combining both conventional and complimentary medicines into their practices. A trend has been developing into what can be viewed as Integrative health. It is a more comprehensive plan of care that some doctors have now implemented for some of their patients to great benefit. Conventional and complimentary methods of healthcare have their strengths and shortcomings.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that there is a growing and significant amount of people who are using complimentary medicine as an alternative to standardized medicine as well as combining with conventional treatments.

Conventional medicine

Conventional medicine applies to mainstream Western medical practices common in the modern world used by scientists for research data, pharmaceutical companies, nurses, and doctors use to diagnose and treat symptoms for most physical health conditions.

As law requires, the use of conventional treatments such as radiation, chemotherapy, medical surgeries, colonoscopies and drugs need to be put under strict scientific testing and safety controls to demonstrate effectiveness. The rigors that are required give measurable and quantifiable results.

Examples of conventional medicine include:

  • Surgery

  • physical rehabilitation

  • radiation therapy

  • pharmaceutical medications

  • psychotherapy

  • colonoscopy

  • x-ray technology

  • MRI and CAT Scan technology

Sometimes conventional medicine can fall short of fixing the problem or missing the mark as to what the real issue is. An example can be in the anti-biotics people regularly take for bacterial infections that disrupt and destroy the gut bacteria causing more problems. Along with the common scenario of side-effects from most medications. Conventional medicine can bring the danger of a ‘one fix for all’ type approach that will lead to a dead end for many people. The corporatization of medicine is less personal and often expensive with it’s endless testing which can become a drawback to a more conventional approach.

Conventional medicine has it’s strength in the advancement of technology, in-depth diagnostic testing, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and high quality professions.

Complimentary medicine (CAM)

Complimentary medicine CAM refers to any supportive health practices outside standardized treatment care. Complimentary medical care has been used for centuries and is observationally based through self-reporting over many years.

Examples of complimentary medicine CAM can include:

  • acupuncture

  • aromatherapy

  • biofeedback

  • chiropractic

  • herbal medicine

  • homeopathy

  • hypnotherapy

  • Qi gong

  • massage therapy

  • naturopathy

  • nutrition

  • reflexology

  • Reiki

  • relaxation

  • Tai chi

  • visualization

  • yoga

Complimentary medicine CAM are approaches that consider the whole person, lifestyle and proactive health measures that one can engage in to avoid and help turn around physical system imbalances.

Complimentary medicine calls on the body to lead in the healing process and for the most part is a non-invasive practice as a standard of care.

Common Differences

The focus of conventional medicine is to identify, diagnose, treat and alleviate symptoms of conditions. The idea is to locate the problem, determine what caused it and then to arrest the problem with the intervention of drugs or surgery.

Nowadays, it seems more doctors are recommending complimentary treatments like acupuncture to help give relief of stress brought on by other conventional therapies like chemotherapy. Doctors are noticing the benefits complimentary care can provide patients to relieve stress, improve balance and reduce fatigue while undergoing conventional procedures.

Research concluded from a 2020 review that acupuncture was an effective treatment for the relief of cancer related fatigue and to improve a persons quality of life.

In 2020 a study looked into the benefits CAM had on patients with fibromyalgia and found that two thirds of them who used vitamins, meditation or message therapy along with pharmaceuticals had significant higher quality of life than those who only used a conventional approach.

Integrative Health

Integrative health approach is a coordinated effort that combines the best of conventional and complimentary medicine has to offer. Integrative health is the future of healthcare. It takes into consideration a persons quality of life and strives to coordinate therapies and medicines into treatments of the whole person to heal the emotional, physical and mental health needs of each individual. Integrating specific individualized care focused on aspects of a person instead of a broader “one area at a time” approach.

It’s the individual needs of a person that determine the best combination of therapies that will be used.

A treatment plan can be determined by traditional healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses and therapists working along side complimentary care professionals like, acupuncturists, chiropractors and neurofeedback therapists to arrive at the best overall approach to care for a patient.

With an integrative approach to healthcare it is always advisable to speak with your doctor or healthcare professional beforehand to determine which of the different methods can support each other with the least amount of risk.

Integrative healthcare seems to be the wave of the future in patient care. It can successfully combine conventional and complimentary medicine practices that can greatly benefit the patient when it is coordinated by healthcare professionals. Find out what’s the best plan for you or a loved one by contacting your doctor and discussing the benefits, risks or any side-effects of applying different treatment options to your health goals.

-A Balanced Brain is a Better Brain-

Jon Stuart