Understanding the field of alternative medicine can be difficult, but becoming familiar with its components will help. The National Institute of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) considers alternative...
Alternative medicine is defined by the Mayo Clinic as wellness therapies that are not considered part of conventional Western medicine. Some of the alternative treatment methods they list include acupuncture, herbs and dietary supplements....
According to the American College of Physicians, seven in 10 people experience at least one headache a year and 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches. The most common types of headaches include tension, migraine and cluster headaches....
According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 40 percent of Americans report using alternative medicine therapies for pain control when prescribed medications prove to be ineffective. Alternative medicine offers an integrated approach to...
Diverticulitis is an inflammatory disease that occurs when diverticula, which are little pockets that form in the gastrointestinal tract, become infected. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, fever, constipation or diarrhea. Conventional treatment...
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by dull muscle pain throughout your body, sleep problems, stiff joints and intense pain when you apply pressure to one of the "tender points." The Mayo Clinic states that fibromyalgia may be...
Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by inflamed airways, spastic cough and excessive mucus secretion. Environmental triggers include smoke, pollen and mold, and attacks can be mild or severe. Long-term control of asthma symptoms usually...
Diabetes refers to a disorder in the way the body metabolizes blood glucose, also called blood sugar. People with diabetes have too much glucose in their blood and this can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, nerve damage and...
Pain is a subjective symptom of several different health issues. It can be chronic, lasting long-term, or acute, lasting only for a short period of time. Regardless, pain needs to be treated. Many pain medications such as non-steroidal...
Controversy surrounding the popular over-the-counter medication Sudafed, or pseudoehpedrine, led it to be reclassified and removed from drug store shelves and placed behind the pharmacy counter in September, 2006, according to the website...
Everyone feels anxiety from time to time, but if you find that you are anxious most of the time, and your anxiety is interfering with work and relationships, then you may seek help in the form of life changes, therapy or medication. Doctors...
Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid, is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that relieves fever and pain. Aspirin works by inhibiting cyclooxygenase, an enzyme involved with the body's inflammatory process. Aspirin has been used...
Hypertension is a blood pressure greater than 140/90 mmHg. There has been much controversy over how effective many natural therapies are for hypertension; however, the Seventh Report (2003) of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention,...
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a very common illness that affects about 60 percent of adults. It is caused when the contents of the stomach passively reflux up into the esophagus (the hollow tube that begins just past the back of the...
Menopause, or the cessation of the menstrual cycle, is a natural part of the aging process but can cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as hot flashes and mood swings. Many of these symptoms are due to the reduced levels of the hormone estrogen...
Attention deficit disorder (ADD), also known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is a psychological condition that affects both children and adults, though symptoms arise in childhood. Approximately 3 to 7 percent of school-aged...
Tamoxifen, often sold as Nolvadex, affects the body's estrogenic system. It blocks estrogen binding in the breast and promotes binding elsewhere. Doctors prescribe tamoxifen to treat breast malignancies because cancer cells need estrogen to...
Anxiety can reduce your ability to live a full and happy life. When you are anxious, your heartbeat accelerates and you may find it difficult to breathe. If your anxiety is chronic, meaning it occurs frequently, you may experience insomnia, the...
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine defines alternative medicine as a group of practices and products that are used instead of conventional medicine. Scientific evidence exists to support the effectiveness of some...
Lung cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the lungs grow in an uncontrolled manner and form a tumor. According to U.K. health care provider, Bupa, lung cancer may affect the lining of the airways or the lung tissue itself. Two forms of lung cancer...
Colon cancer, sometimes described as colorectal cancer, affects the large intestine which sits in the last part of the digestive system. According to the Mayo Clinic, the majority of colon cancer cases start off as small non-cancerous groups of...
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus, or HSV. Generally, HSV Type 2 causes genital herpes, and HSV Type 1 causes oral herpes, but according to the Mayo Clinic,Type 1 can also be spread to the...
The gastrointestinal, or GI, tract includes the stomach and the small and large intestines. Common GI problems include irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, constipation and ulcerative colitis. Alternative medicines may be helpful for GI problems;...
Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD are serious respiratory diseases. They are characterized by blockage in the air passages, bronchial muscle spasms, swelling of the mucus linings and increased production of mucus, making it...
Bulimia, a mental illness characterized by binging, purging and obsession with food and weight. It is treated through psychotherapy and medications. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, a variety of alternative, or...
Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, occurs when the salivary glands don't produce enough saliva to keep the mouth moist. Saliva is necessary to remove plaque and sugar from the mouth and prevent tooth decay. Xerostomia can be caused by certain...
High blood pressure makes the heart work harder and can contribute to hardening of the arteries. According to "Science Daily," more than 25 percent of the world's population has high blood pressure, also known as the silent killer. This condition...
Yeast infections, also called candidiasis or moniliasis, can occur in the mouth, esophagus, vagina, skin or bloodstream, and can be mild or life-threatening. The body’s immune system normally checks the growth of yeast like Candida albicans,...
Nicotine is a central nervous system stimulant that rapidly enters the bloodstream and brain, creating pleasure, tolerance and physical dependence. Like other addictions, nicotine use compromises good nutrition through appetite suppression, the...
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