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Defining Traditional and Complementary Medicine

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Traditional and Complementary Medicines: Are they Ethical for Humans, Animals and the Environment?

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Philosophy ((BRIEFSPHILOSOPH))

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Abstract

‘Complementary’, ‘alternative’, ‘traditional’ or even ‘pseudomedicine’, are just some of the words that are used to describe this body of therapeutic interventions. Collectively, these terms evoke an array of seemingly disparate connotations, indicative of a wide range of perspectives. Indeed, opinions about their worth span a full spectrum from: ‘essential and highly valued forms of health care’, to: ‘no better than placebos that are proffered by charlatans’. This polarisation of perspectives is a significant challenge when it comes to explanation of what is meant by ‘complementary’ or ‘traditional’ medicine, as is the broad range of individual interventions that fall under this sizeable umbrella. The challenges for establishing a clear definition are explained and arguments given for adopting the World Health Organization’s definition of ‘traditional and complementary medicine’ (T&CM). An overview of the controversial nature of the subject matter provides a backdrop to subsequent ethical analysis in later chapters.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Acupressure, Acupuncture, Alexander technique, Aromatherapy, Arts therapy (eg, dance therapy, drama therapy, music therapy), Ayurvedic traditional medicine, Balneotherapy (natural spring water bathing), Bee products(e.g. honey, propolis, royal jelly), Biofeedback, Chelation therapy (removal of toxic heavy metals from the body), Chinese traditional medicine, Chiropractic, Colour therapy, Craniosacral manipulation, Dietary supplements, Diet therapy, Distant healing, Electric stimulation therapy (e.g. TENS machine), Electromagnetic therapy (magnets), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) (a form of psychotherapy), Feldenkrais method (awareness through movement), Herbal supplements, Homeopathy, Hydrotherapy, Hyperbaric oxygenation, Hypnosis, Imagery, Light therapy, Magnetic field therapy, Massage, Meditation, Morita therapy (a Japanese mindfulness technique), Moxibustion, Naturopathy, Osteopathic manipulation, Ozone therapy, Play therapy, Prolotherapy (dextrose injections for non-surgical ligament reconstruction), Qigong, Reflexology, Reiki therapy, Relaxation techniques, Snoezelen (controlled multisensory environment most often used for people with learning difficulties), Speleotherapy (exposure to salt air), Spiritual healing, Tai chi, Therapeutic touch, Traditional healers and healing practices (other than Chinese), Tui na (Chinese manipulative therapy), Ultrasonic therapy (using sound waves to penetrate soft tissues), Yoga.

  2. 2.

    A systematic review is a means of examining results from more than one trial to look for trends.

  3. 3.

    A meta-analysis takes an overall view further by performing statistical analysis on the combined results to look at the statistical significance of trends.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Professional Ethics, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK

    Kate Chatfield

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  1. Kate Chatfield
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Correspondence to Kate Chatfield .

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Chatfield, K. (2018). Defining Traditional and Complementary Medicine. In: Traditional and Complementary Medicines: Are they Ethical for Humans, Animals and the Environment?. SpringerBriefs in Philosophy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05300-0_1

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