The
History of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States and
Beyond
Around the time of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783),
medical doctors were not considered to fulfill major societal roles. In fact,
the practice of medicine was seen as more of a part-time avocation due to the
fact that the majority of citizens labeled as “doctors” also took on full-time
occupations such as judge, magistrate, farmer, or merchant. This left little
room for private or hospital practice, and as a result, midwives and lay
practitioners took care of most medical matters including births, injuries, and
illness through the use of herbal medicines and teas, salves, emetics, and
purgative medicines.1
Yet, by the beginning of the 19th century,
conventional medicine was beginning to grow. Young men left family businesses,
apprenticeships, and clerkships to pursue medicine in prominent colleges around
the U.S. Eventually, the use of full-time medical professionals far outweighed
the use of midwives and lay practitioners.
Despite the growing popularity of the medical profession,
patients often labeled conventional medical practices as expensive, imprecise,
and dangerous. In response to these concerns, a number of citizens formed the
Popular Health Movement (PHM) during the 1830s and 1840s.1
PHM supporters sought to alter conventional medical
practices by incorporating and emphasizing some of the ideas that midwives and
lay practitioners had long used to heal their patients. These included herbal
remedies, proper nutrition, clean water, exercise, disease prevention, the
body’s innate ability to heal itself, and health education.
The PHM, along with several other political action groups
run by such herbalists as Samuel Thompson and Wooster Beach, influenced state
after state to repeal their conventional medical licensing laws and allow for
certain complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies to be part of
everyday health care. Today, 69% of the U.S. populace reports using at least
one form of CAM in any given year.
While the use of CAM appears to have a fairly long history
in the U.S., it actually spans almost the entire history of man. From primitive
medicine, mythology, and folklore of ancient times to the traditional Chinese
and Indian Ayurvedic systems of medicine, CAM therapies have a broad and
captivating past that extends well beyond American medical history.
Native American Medicine
Like other ancient healing systems, Native American medicine
focuses on a holistic approach to medicine that emphasizes the treatment of the
entire person, including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects.
Native American healers, often referred to as “medicine men,” “medicine women,”
or “shamans,” believe that individual health is intertwined with the natural
and spiritual world and thus incorporate symbolic healing rituals, ceremonies,
and the extensive use of herbal remedies.
Native American medical interventions, such as medical herbs
and healing plants, have had a significant impact on modern society. In fact, 7
out of the 10 top-selling herbal remedies in the U.S. today were originally
used by Native American tribes.2
Traditional Chinese Medicine
In a different fashion, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
has restored harmony to those with illness for close to 23 centuries. By
enhancing recuperative power and immunity through several mechanisms including
herbs, acupuncture, diet, massage, and exercises such as qigong and tai chi,
TCM is used today throughout the world
TCM is based on a belief in yin and yang—defined as
opposing energies such as earth and heaven, winter and summer, and happiness
and sadness. When yin and yang are in balance, patients feel
relaxed and energized, experiencing only occasional highs and lows. Out of
balance yin and yang, however, can negatively
affect the health of a patient. In addition, TCM professionals believe that
there is a life force or energy in all people, known as qi. In order for yin and yang to be balanced and for the body to
be healthy, qi must be balanced and flowing
freely. When there is too little or too much qi in one of the body's energy pathways (called meridians), or when
the flow of qi is blocked, illness
may result.
Ayurvedic Medicine
Considered by many scholars to be the oldest healing
science, Ayurveda is a holistic approach to health care that is designed to
help people live long, healthy, and well-balanced lives. Ayurveda, taken from
the Sanskrit words “ayus,” meaning life or lifespan, and “veda,” meaning knowledge, originated in India about 5,000 years ago and
is still being practiced around the world today.
Ayurvedic tradition holds that each person manifests basic
biological energies, or doshas, which
determine who we are. Doshas may specify our emotional traits, the kinds of
foods we should eat, and the kinds of activities that we should partake in. The
basic principle of Ayurveda is to prevent
illness by maintaining dosha balance throughout the body, mind, and
consciousness. This is usually accomplished via the use of herbal remedies,
yoga, meditation, and proper diet and lifestyle.
It is easy to see that CAM has had an interesting past, both
in the U.S. and beyond. While having been established for centuries upon
centuries, the popularity of CAM nevertheless continues to grow. In fact, 69%
of Americans today report using at least one form of CAM in any given year.3
Whatever the future holds, it is always important to remember the
widespread roots and evolution of CAM therapies.
References
- Miller, M. (1999). A
brief history of CAM in the US. Foundation
for the Advancement of Innovative Medicine. Retrieved March 15, 2002,
from http://www.faim.org/legal.htm
- Davis, J. (2000, August
22). Native Americans knew the power of herbs but to modern-day
scientists, many botanicals remain a mystery. WebMD Medical News. Retrieved from http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1728.60591
- Kessler W, Goodkind M.
(1998, Sept 23). Americans mingle complementary techniques with
traditional medicine. Stanford
Online Report. Retrieved from http://www.stanford.edu/dept/news/report/news/september23/altsurvey923.html
