Integrative medicine is the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic
Integrative medicine is a revolutionary approach in treating people — not just treating diseases — using the Holostic approach, with a person-centered diagnosis and treatment strategy. It combines the conventional Western medicine (Allopathy) with alternative or complementary treatments, such as Homeopathy, Electrohomeopathy, Biochemic remedies, Bach Flower remedies, massage, yoga, and stress reduction techniques — all in the effort to treat the whole person. Hence we prefer to use the term “complementary“ to emphasize that these treatments are used with mainstream medicine (Allopathy), not as replacements or alternatives.
Public became aware of the Integrative medicine after a landmark 1993 study done in US. That study showed that one in three Americans had used an alternative therapy, along with the mainstream medicine (Allopathy). After this, many integrative medicine centers have been started across the globe.
According to the American Hospital Association, the percentage of U.S. hospitals that offer complementary therapies has more than doubled in less than a decade, from 8.6% in 1998 to almost 20% in 2004. In India also this wonderful method of treating the patients is being encouraged by few doctors and Dr. K.Sreedhar is one of the pioneers in this.
Increasingly, research shows that how we live, what we think, and how we feel affect our health. While conventional medicine (Allopathy) alone can help diminish the consequences of unhealthy lifestyles, integrative medicine can reverse those consequences, prevent illness and reduce symptoms in almost all the chronic diseases.
The benefits of Integrative Medicine include –
- Enhanced immune function and fewer infections
- Decreased pain in painful conditions
- Less anxiety and depression related to any illness
- Improved sleep
- Lowered blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels
- Improved bowel function
- Fewer complications after surgery
- Avoid surgery in many cases
- Resolution of post-traumatic stress disorder
- Improved post-operative outcomes when used peri-operatively
- Prevention of cancer to certain extent
- Better achievement of all the physical and mental milestones in children
- Better performance of students at schools
- Reduction of sick leaves in a year
- Better physical and mental performance at jobs
- The minimal complications for any given disease
- Better outcomes in all acute and chronic diseases
- Improved digestion and assimilation
- Better sexual energy and performance
- Better health in old age
And many more …….
- The patient and practitioner equally contribute their shares in discussing about the treatment options in the healing process.
- All factors that influence our health, sickness and disease are taken into consideration and studied thoroughly in order to provide complete and permanent Health.
- The care is not given in piece meal for each organ of the human body but it addresses the whole person, including body, mind, and spirit in the context of community.
- At our centre we integrate Modern medicine (Allopathy) with Homeopathy and Electrohomeopathy to facilitate the body’s innate healing response.
- Effective interventions range from some less invasive procedures to major complicated surgeries.
- Integrative medicine is research based and hence the method of treatment is also subjected to new modifications according to the latest guidelines.
- Not only treating the person as a whole, but further prevention of the diseases is of paramount importance.
- The treatment plans are totally individualized to give the best results
In the west some medical schools have already started courses on Integrative Medicine. So it’s not unusual to see a Western-trained MD who also has credentials in Homeopathy or hypnosis, or a registered nurse who is also a yoga teacher and massage therapist. But not all doctors are happy. Some critics have already commented saying that integrative medicine is driven largely by public fascination and demand for alternative treatments. Hence many proponents of integrative medical care say that it’s crucial to hold alternative therapies up to scientific scrutiny, rather than dismissing them outright, because doctors and patients alike need answers. As a result, researchers across the globe are studying the usefulness of complementary and alternative therapies in various, otherwise difficult to treat conditions. In various clinical trials, researchers are determined to prove these facts, and the body of evidence for Integrative medicine is constantly growing globally. And the ultimate fact is that MILLIONS ARE BENEFITTED GLOBALLY BEYOND THEIR EXPECTATIONS AND IMAGINATIONS.