The Efficacy of Traditional Medicine over Natural Medicine
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- Category: Science
- Date Submitted: 10/29/2010 08:38 AM
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Traditional medicine
What is traditional medicine?
Traditional medicine refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being.
Countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America use traditional medicine (TM) to help meet some of their primary health care needs. In Africa, up to 80% of the population uses traditional medicine for primary health care. In industralized countries, adaptations of traditional medicine are termed “Complementary“ or “Alternative” (CAM).
Increasing use and popularity
TM has maintained its popularity in all regions of the developing world and its use is rapidly spreading in industrialized countries.
* In China, traditional herbal preparations account for 30%-50% of the total medicinal consumption.
* In Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Zambia, the first line of treatment for 60% of children with high fever resulting from malaria is the use of herbal medicines at home.
* WHO estimates that in several African countries traditional birth attendants assist in the majority of births.
* In Europe, North America and other industrialized regions, over 50% of the population have used complementary or alternative medicine at least once.
* In San Francisco, London and South Africa, 75% of people living with HIV/AIDS use TM/CAM.
* 70% of the population in Canada have used complementary medicine at least once.
* In Germany, 90% of the population have used a natural remedy at some point in their life. Between 1995 and 2000, the number of doctors who had undergone special training in natural remedy medicine had almost doubled to 10 800.
* In the United States, 158 million of the adult population use complementary medicines and according to the USA Commission for Alternative and Complementary medicines,...
What is traditional medicine?
Traditional medicine refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being.
Countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America use traditional medicine (TM) to help meet some of their primary health care needs. In Africa, up to 80% of the population uses traditional medicine for primary health care. In industralized countries, adaptations of traditional medicine are termed “Complementary“ or “Alternative” (CAM).
Increasing use and popularity
TM has maintained its popularity in all regions of the developing world and its use is rapidly spreading in industrialized countries.
* In China, traditional herbal preparations account for 30%-50% of the total medicinal consumption.
* In Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Zambia, the first line of treatment for 60% of children with high fever resulting from malaria is the use of herbal medicines at home.
* WHO estimates that in several African countries traditional birth attendants assist in the majority of births.
* In Europe, North America and other industrialized regions, over 50% of the population have used complementary or alternative medicine at least once.
* In San Francisco, London and South Africa, 75% of people living with HIV/AIDS use TM/CAM.
* 70% of the population in Canada have used complementary medicine at least once.
* In Germany, 90% of the population have used a natural remedy at some point in their life. Between 1995 and 2000, the number of doctors who had undergone special training in natural remedy medicine had almost doubled to 10 800.
* In the United States, 158 million of the adult population use complementary medicines and according to the USA Commission for Alternative and Complementary medicines,...