An integrative care strategy, puts the individual at the center of the care, and addresses the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a person’s health. Treating the whole person addresses both the individual’s immediate needs as well as the effects of the long-term and complex interplay between a range of biological, behavioral, psycho-social and environmental influences are addressed. This process enhances the ability of individuals to not only get well, but most importantly, to stay well.
The defining principles of integrative care are:
- Individuals take ownership of their health and wellness.
- All factors that influence health, wellness and disease are taken into consideration.
- The care addresses the whole person, including body, mind, and spirit in the context of community.
- Effective interventions that are natural and less invasive are used whenever possible.
- Because good medicine is based in good science, integrative care is inquiry-driven and open to new models of care.
- Alongside the concept of treatment, the broader concepts of health promotion, and the prevention of illness are paramount.
Integrative medicine focuses on you as a whole person and not just your illness or disease. While it seeks to understand the underlying cause of your symptoms or condition, it does so by looking at your complete mind, body and spirit. Integrative medicine uses an evidence-based approach to improve your health and wellness. Integrative medicine believes your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs affect your health. It believes those needs rely on each other and affect your entire well-being. There are many different aspects to address, so integrative medicine uses a combination of therapies and lifestyle changes. With integrative medicine, the relationships between you and your healthcare providers are important. You are equal partners in your healing process. Integrative medicine aims for well-coordinated care among different providers and specialists. It brings together conventional healthcare approaches (like medication and psychotherapy) and complementary therapies (like acupuncture and yoga). In this way, integrative medicine “integrates” all aspects of your well-being to achieve optimal health and healing. What type of providers deliver integrative medicine? A variety of healthcare providers delivers care through integrative medicine. These providers may include: Physicians. Chiropractic doctors. Holistic mind-body psychotherapists .Acupuncturists. Chinese herbal therapists. Tai chi practitioners. Yoga practitioners. Massage therapists. Nutritionists Integrative medicine techniques may include:
Acupuncture Acupuncture uses thin needles to maintain the flow and balance of your body’s energy (Qi). This can help activate your body’s natural healing capability. Acupuncture may help relieve: Joint pain. Fibromyalgia. Migraines. Cancer-related symptoms. Anxiety and depression. Hot flashes. Fatigue.
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE, DEFINITION, METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
According to WHO, traditional medicine is defined as the sum total of the medical knowledge, skills and practice based on theory, belief and indigenous experiences to different culture, whether explicable or not used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention diagnosis and treatment of physical mental, emotional illness and improvement of social well-being handed over from one generation to the other either orally or written. Presently, over 80% of developing countries healthcare system relies on TM/CAM.
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE: METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
Traditional medicine, like Western or orthodox medicine, aims at healing or preventing disease. In this respect, both types of medicine have the same objectives, but they differ in their concept of the cause of disease, their approach to healing as well as in the healing methods used. The basic concept of orthodox medicine centres around results of experiment, and the diseases is regarded as caused by physiopathological agents (including micro-organisms and noxious substances in food and the environment).
It is a system which places greater emphasis on the psychological causes of disease than doe’s orthodox medicine. Furthermore, traditional medicine id often part of the culture of the people that use it and as a result it is closely linked to their beliefs.
Traditional medicine, however considers man as integral somatic and extra-material entity and many developing countries will accept the fact that diseases can be due to supernatural causes arising from the displeasure of ancestral gods, evil spirits, the effect of witchcraft, the effect of spirit possession, or the intrusion of an object into the body. A comparison can thus be made of the attitudes of traditional ad orthodox in aetiology, symptoms, signs, pathology, and other aspects of medical practice.
In natural Medicine Practice (traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine), there is an emphasis on self-empowerment and the holistic approach. In this approach, life is understood as being the combination of: Physical, Mental, Social and Spiritual well-being.
WHO Resolutions on Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine(TCAM)
The importance of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) system & products as form of Primary Health Care has been officially endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for about 40 years now, declaration of Alma Ata, Russia. And it was documented as a World Health Assembly Resolution (WHA62.13).
WHO Resolutions On Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM)
The world Health Assembly continued the debate in 1989 and adopted another Resolution (WHA 42.43) that Natural Medicine products is of great importance to the health of individuals and communities worldwide.
WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy
The WHO Global strategy for Natural Medicine Development. Moreover, the WHA resolution 62.13 was adopted in 2009 which requested the WHO Director General to update the WHO TCAM Strategy 2002-2005 and then develop TCAM Strategy 2014-2023 to set the course for TCAM for the next decade, with implementation plans for all the Member States.
The Global Trend of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM)
Over half of the general population in developed countries uses TCAM and as effective way to track the potential of Natural Medicine products is to examine the market size and also the spend/capita. Generally and in recent years, the uses of Natural Medicine products has exploded, with adult usage as high as 62% and Pediatric usage ranging from about 10% to as high as 40%.
The Global Trend of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM)
The 56thWorld Health Assembly (WHA) also formally acknowledged that there has been a global resurgence of interest in the use of Natural Medicine product in May 2003.
That then brought about the WHO traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Strategy 2002-2005 as WHA resolution 56.31 was adopted by all the members states.
The trend of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM)
In the United States
A survey released in May 2004 by the US National Institutes Health in the United State, found that in 2002, 36% in a lifetime. A category that included Yoga, Meditation, Herbal treatments and the Atkins diet.
The trend of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) in Europe & Asia
In Europe, Complementary and Alternative Medicine is growing rapidly in tissue and update, with Homeopathic, Aromatherapy and Natural Medicine products market value at 141 Million in 2004.
The expenditure on TCAM in the UK was estimated to be about 4Billlion as at 2005 based on a study carried out by Simon Mills and Sarah Budd for the Department of Health. It also estimated there were about 50, 000 TCAM practitioners in the UK treating over 20 million patient.
Branches of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM)
- Herbal medicine
- Magnetic healing
- Clinical massage/ Aromatherapy
- Acupuncture/ Acupressure
- Nutritional medicine
- Colour therapy
- Reflexology
- Crystal or gem stone therapy
- Homeopathy
- Chiopractic
- Osteopathy
- Energy Medicine
INCORPORATION OF TRADITIONAL/COMPLEMENTARY ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE INTO NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
WHO define three types of healthcare system and describe the degree to which TM/CAM is an officially recognized element of healthcare?
- INTEGRATING CATEGORY SYSTEM/CO-RECOGNITION
In this method TM/CAM is officially recognized and incorporated into all the healthcare system in that country and product is regulated and standardizes, TM/CAM are available is hospitals and clinics both private and public, countries that operate the system include China, Korea etc.
CO-RECOGNITION SYSTEM: In this system TM/CAM is recognized at the same level as conventional medicine e.g. India, Pakistan
- INCLUSIVE SYSTEM
This system recognizes Tm/CAM but is not yet. Finally intergrate it into all aspect of healthcare TM/CAM is not recognized in the general sector of the health system.
- TOLERANCE SYSTEM
In this TM is not recognized at all, it is even a crime to practice in some areas.
Challenges
Challenges of TM/CAM fall into four categories
- Lack of national policy and regulatory
- Lack of safety, efficacy and quality
iii. Lack of access
- Lack of rational use
THE ADVANTAGES OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- The practitioners of alternative medicine could serve as additional sources of health manpower in developing countries. This is especially so where a developing country is trying to achieve total health coverage for its people.
- Alternative medicine enjoys a wider acceptability among the people of developing countries than does orthodox medicine
- Alternative medicine is cheaper than orthodox medicine. The cost of the latter of increased by modern health technology which in many cases is inappropriate or irrelevant to the immediate needs of people in developing countries.
- Alternative medicine is more accessible to most of the population in the third world, in fact, it is reported that 0-85 per cent of the population in every country of the developing world had to rely on traditional or indigenous form of medicine form of medicine
- Alternative medicine remedies are mostly compound from natural products. For this reason, it has been claimed, there is greater likelihood of their being accepted by the body than substances which have been invented in small and it is further diluted when a decoction for traditional use is prepared.
- Alternative medicine is a potential source of new drugs, a source of cheap starting products for the synthesis of known drugs, or a cheap source of known drugs such is reserpine from Rauwolfia species, vinblasting from Catharanthus roseus or recent discovery of a contraceptive in Zoapatle.
- In order to consult an orthodox doctor the patient has to undergo the complicated and time-consuming processes of registering at the records department; undergoing various diagnostic tests in the heamatology, pathology, or X-ray departments etc., seeing a nurse; and finally waiting in a long queue before any consultation with the doctor actually take place.
- Development of resistance to synthetic chemotherapeut1ic agents is known to occur on orthodox medicine; for example, the resistance to chloroquine by some stains of the malaria parasite.
ACUPUNCTURE MEDICINE
Acupuncture is a Chinese oriental medical practice that deals with the use of specific piniform needles on selected points (acupuncture points) in the body to achieve the following.
- To procure anesthesia for surgery
- To treat diabetes
- To treat migraine headache
- To mediate all forms of pain
- To high blood pressure
- Erectile dysfunction
- Stroke
- Arthritis
- Eye disorder like conjunctiva
- Goiter
- Facial paralysis
- Spleenomegaly
- Otitis media
- Abdominal dysfunctions etc
OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
Osteopathic medicine is a form of drug – free non-invasive holistic manual medicine that focuses on total body health by treating and strengthening the musculoskeletal frame work, which includes the joints, muscles and spine.
The followings can be handled by osteopathy:
- Lordosis
- Digestive problems
- Lumbago
- Sciatica
- Arthritis
- Sprain
- Tennis elbow
- Shin splints
- Back pain
- Osteophytes
- Spondylosis
- Ankylosis etc.
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE
Naturopathy medicine is a form of complementary and alternative medicine that deals with the use of natural substances such as plants, water, fruits, minerals substances to effect a cure. Naturopathy practice is based on the belief that the body has the ability to heal itself.
Conditions that can be handled by naturopathy are:
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Constipation
- Insomnia
- Psoriasis
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Gall bladder disease
- Jaundice etc
HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE
Homeopathy is a form of complementary and alternative medicine that uses substance that can cause a disease and cure that same disease in a sick individual. It is based on a principle called “like cure like” which means, if a substance can cause a symptoms of a disease in a healthy human being if that same substances is used therapeutically. It will eradicate the disease.
Conditions homeopathy can handle are:
- Heart diseases
- Infertilities
- Kidney diseases
- Stomach disorders
- Glaucoma/ other eye problems
- Fever / malaria /typhoid
- Brain diseases
- Oral diseases
- Respiratory problems
- Ear diseases etc.
CHIROPRACTIC MEDICINE
Chiropractic medicine is a branch of complementary and alternative medicine with the use of hands in adjusting dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal and nervous system like:
- Rheumatism
- Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
- Arthritis of all form
- Spondylosis
- Fibromyalgia
- Waist pain/back pain
- Stroke
- Muscle strain & sprain
- Tennis elbow
- Herniated disc
- Bell’s pals
- Migraine headaches
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Pirifomis syndrome
- Sciatica
- Whiplash etc.
