Allopathy is most everybody’s go-to medical treatment no matter what the ailment. However, some sciences have proved to have better remedies for certain cases. Alternative medicinal practices like naturopathy, ayurveda, homeopathy and even acupuncture are tried and tested methods that stem from much more rustic sources, besides dating back further than allopathy.
Though not officially recognized by the medical community as a standard medical approach, their effectiveness has largely been accepted. A mix of science, philosophy and natural ingredients, these practices follow a different approach than the ‘English’ medicine.
“Homeopathy rarely causes any side-effects. It is a holistic approach through which permanent cure is possible. One particularly effective use of homeopathy is to relieve pain,” expresses Dr GS Gupta at Srinivasa Homeo clinic at Secunderabad. It is based on the principle ‘like cures like’ – any substance that provokes a symptom in a healthy person can be used to treat that same symptom when it occurs in a patient. It is a treatment modality which uses very minute substances found in nature to trigger healing responses. All these factors make homeopathy a form of alternative medicine as strong as mainstream medication.
If that concept doesn’t seem very promising to you, you could try ayurveda. Used as form of medicine in India since the ancient times, ayurvedic practitioners use herbs, diet, breathing, massage and meditation for treatment and to restore balance in the body.
“Ayurveda is based on natural healing. It is used as a supportive medicine along with the allopathic medication. Understanding each person’s lifestyle, deciding on diet and exercise pattern, supplements and medicinal herbs, and giving them therapies that are appropriate for them is the chief method of treatment we follow. “Today, ayurveda has one of the best medicinal practices to treat rheumatoid arthritis and some forms of cancer,” says Dr Viswanathan who treats patients at Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala at SR Nagar.
Naturopathy on the other hand uses nature’s healing powers to heal ailments. Practitioners believe that an accumulation of toxins is the root cause of all the diseases, prevention and elimination of which is the absolute cure.
“Naturopathy means living with the nature. If we observe, it is very clear that the lifestyle we follow is very dangerous – irregular diet habits, sleeping patterns and also lack of exercise are major causes for this. Treatments in naturopathy are based on the five elements of nature. Methods like mud packs, hydrotherapy, massages, breathing exercises, walking and fasting are some of our treatments. Our aim is to restore the balance in the body by using the elements of nature,” says Dr JVN Chari, superintendent, Kasturba Nature Cure Hospital, Shivarampalli.
While naturopathy, ayurveda and homeopathy stem from our ancient Indian practices, acupuncture is form of treatment that has been imbibed from ancient China.
It is based on the principle that there are patterns of energy flow through the body that are essential for health. Disruptions in the flow of energy leads to diseases. “Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific pressure points along the skin involving various methods like application of heat, pressure, laser or penetration of thin needles. It is proved to be the best medicine for treating spinal, kidney and diabetic problems besides depression and stress. The benefit of acupuncture is that it doesn’t involve the trauma of going under the knife or being hospitalised,” expresses Alka Sodhani an acupuncture therapist in Secunderabad. What makes it preferable over other medicinal practices is that it has no side effects, opines Alka.
Either ways, be it popping a pill, being pricked by needles or a mud bath, alternative medicines do cut a better picture than allopathy given their effectiveness and relatively healthier chemical composition.