FEATURE COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
THE MOVE TOWARDS COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE Worldwide, there is a substantial and well-documented swing away from orthodox medicine to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Apart from reasons of cost and accessibility, there is the patient dissatisfaction with orthodox medicine arising from lack of required effect, adverse drug reactions, antibiotic resistance and iatrogenic disorders, often revealed in the harsh glare of media publicity. In addition, the doctor/patient relationship frequently leaves a lot to be desired – little time in consultation, low level of discussion and explanation, and resorting too quickly to potent drugs. The relationship is generally better developed in CAM practitioners; indeed, it is of paramount importance, as patients buy-in to what therapy entails, it is essential.
INTEGRATIVEMEDICINE (IM) Interestingly, a substantial number of CAM users combine it with orthodox medicine – usually to alleviate the symptoms of an acute phase of the disorder. Disorders which are particularly responsive to combined therapy are musculo-skeletal problems, colds and flu, certain digestive disorders, menopausal symptoms, diabetes and even cancers. IM blends orthodox and CAM into a practical system for the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of disease. It emphasises the maintenance of the patient’s wellness, as well as actively supporting the body’s innate healing abilities. IM takes into account the person’s physical, emotional and perhaps spiritual aspects in both diagnosis and treatment. It attaches considerable importance to the healer/patient relationship, to promoting self-help, and to reasonable empowerment and relevant education of the patient. IM has a particularly valuable role in the treatment of chronic disorders such as heart disease, bronchial asthma and migraine.
IM is ideally placed to treat chronic, persistent conditions like heart and circulatory disorders, and the increasingly prevalent diseases of lifestyle, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity and depression. The complementary arm of IM can consist of specific therapeutic techniques like acupuncture, hypnotherapy
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or herbal therapy. It can also co-opt particular medical paradigms such as Tibb, Ayurveda, naturopathy or homeopathy. Applying IM is becoming more popular,
even in medical communities where orthodox medicine is well entrenched, such as the USA. 40% of people have alleged to have tried one other complementary medicine, at an annual spend of $35 billion.
OUTLINE OF TIBB Tibb, also known as Unani-Tibb or Unani Medicine, is a system of healthcare based on the classical clinical precepts of the early pioneers of medicine – principally Hippocrates, Galen and, Ibn Sina (aka Avicenna). Tibb emerged over the centuries, influenced by Egyptian, Greek, Arab, and Western healing philosophies. Even though orthodox (or Western) medicine may have become predominant in many parts of the world over the past century or so, Tibb is still practised extensively in the Indian sub-continent, as well as in the Middle East. Applying Tibb as the complementary arm of IM is a reasonable one. Its clinical benefits have
«The Tibb system is fundamentally empirical in nature, drawing extensively on clinical experience»
been well documented, and the underlying principles are broadly consistent with orthodox medicine. The connecting thread that runs
through Tibb theory and practice is that of equilibrium or harmony; not only internally as the regulation of metabolism and other processes, but also externally with the environment.
The Tibb system
is fundamentally empirical in nature, drawing extensively on clinical experience, which extends back several centuries. However, scientific studies have recently been initiated into the impact of Tibb therapy on a number of common, chronic disorders such as hypertension, bronchial asthma, diabetes, and HIV and AIDS, with encouraging results to date. There are a number of theoretical aspects to Tibb. One is that every
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