Alternative Medicine - Avenue for Medical Tourism

The history of alternative medicine is a rather interesting one, and
has its

origins in traditional methods of medicine. Alternative medicine has
been

in existence since time immemorial. Being a primeval science, this
medicinal

system has been known to man since the early days of his time on
Earth. Using

natural ingredients to prevent and cure most illnesses has perhaps
been man's greatest foray into medical science. Traditional medical
practitioners aimed at prevention of diseases associated with an
increase in resistance of the human body. As an expert rightly pointed
out, "The study of the history of alternative medicine is
fascinating on a variety of levels, not just concerning other and
often better ways of preserving and restoring health."

Practised for thousands of years, alternative medicine includes
systems like

Acupuncture, Ayurveda and traditional Asian medicine. Alternative
medicine branches

out from the Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments
and

therapies. CAM is often combined with formal, conventional medicine,
integrating

both medical practices, in order to give the best results to patients.
It can be said that

the earlier methods of medicine were attempted at achieving a balance
between bodily

and natural energy. Energies were sought as positive and negative
energies, where

positive energies were to bring in happiness and health and negative
energies an

incapacitation of resistance to face any ailments. Matters of utmost
importance in

deciding therapies or treatments in these earlier medical systems were
factors like

one's lifestyle, one's habits of eating and one's occupational
pressures.

The earliest use of traditional remedies dates back to 2800 BC in
China.

Practised all over the world in more than a hundred disciplines,
alternative medicine

has aided medical tourism in an unprecedented manner. Using
alternative medicine

and following alternative medical practices not only removes any
possible additional

affects of the illness but also increases the resilience of the body.
It is generally

claimed that natural remedies are not only less inimical to human
physiology

but they also help in retaining body pliancy. Systems of natural,
traditional

medicines use a combination of ingredients to restore the bodily
constituents. In

fact, natural remedies are considered more as food, given their
natural constituents.

Since alternative medicine is based on completely natural methods and
there is

no usage of any chemicals, there is no danger of any interference with
the organic

system. A holistic approach as opposed to looking at a set of symptoms
and a

treatment that delves into the root-cause of an illness are some of
the distinct and

highly acknowledged features of alternative medicine. It is also
opined that

widespread use of modern medicine has deteriorated the immune system
in the

human physiology and has resulted in these modern medicines becoming
less

effective. It is also often said that alternative medicine is the only
way to cure

some incurable diseases.

*A Brief History of Alternative Medicine*

The history of alternative medicine can be traced back to some 5000
years, when the Chinese and Indians discovered traditional and
Ayurvedic therapies to heal the body and the mind. The real objective
was to identify the deterrents in the body system which caused
ailments, and

strengthened the body's immunity. The therapies mainly incorporated
self-care, lifestyle

changes and various preventive measures. The normal practices that
were followed in the early stages of the history of alternative
medicine include the extractions of the bark of willow trees. Many
kitchen ingredients were also used for treating patients. The
treatments were considered as the blessings of God, as it brought
immense relief to the writhing bodies and prayer was considered as one
of the strongest weapons in waging war against ailments.

Source: "A Brief History of Alternative Medicine",
http://www.med-help.net/med-history-of-alternativemedicine.

html

*Alternative Medicine and Medical Tourism*

Today, alternative medicine holds out immense potential in attracting
medical

tourists. For example, India is likely to become a major hub for
medical tourism,

with revenues from the industry estimated to grow from US$333 million
in 2007

to US$2.2 billion by 2012, says a study by the Confederation of Indian
Industry

(CII) and McKinsey.3 The major competitive advantages that India faces
are cost

effectiveness and traditional medical systems like Ayurveda and
Naturopathy.

The world has witnessed the development of many traditional as well as
modern

systems of medicine in the 20th century. Path-breaking discoveries
like penicillin,

technological advancements in modern surgery, major research
advancement in stem

cell research and genetic structure, and the development of
traditional medical systems

like traditional Chinese system of medicine, Acupuncture, Osteopathy,
Homeopathy,

Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani and others have all been a part of developments
in the

omnipotent territory of global medicine. The major competitive
advantages that India

has are cost effectiveness and traditional medical systems like
Ayurveda and Naturopathy.

The last few years have seen countries with their own individual
expertise attracting

tourists from all over the world and promoting medical tourism like
never before.

*India*

In India, medical tourism in alternative medicine has its ancestry in
South India

and some places in North-Eastern India. Internationally famed for its
natural remedies and therapies, Kerala's schools of medicine have
embraced Siddha,

Naturopathy and Ayurveda in treating their patients. These traditional
medical

practices are estimated to attract high-end medical tourists from
Europe and

Middle Eastern countries. The vital advantages that a country like
India faces

with regard to medical tourism are its traditional therapies like yoga
and Ayurveda

combined with tourist attractions in states like Kerala and
north-eastern states.

Naturopathy, a therapeutic system based on natural remedies, trusts
natural

elements like air, water and sunlight, combined with therapeutic
massages and

conditioning and toning of the human body. Naturopathy believes that
the human

body has the capacity to heal on its own, provided it is in a healthy
environment.

With a holistic approach to well-being, Naturopathy believes that the
three

physical entities – the physical body, the supernatural soul and the
mind – must

be integrated through natural energies. "A recent survey shows that
76% of global

drugs are consumed by USA and European countries. We believe that
freedom

from diseases and drugs can only be achieved by living a natural life
style."4

Ayurveda, the most ancient health care system, takes its ingredients
from nature.

The use of herbs, materials like gold and mercury and many household
ingredients

make this science easily accessible to common man. Ayurveda claims to
cure diseases

like diabetes with the aid of nature. The Siddha medical system, which
is a part of

Ayurveda, employs herbs, minerals and advanced scientific techniques
under ancient

principles of medical science to cure many chronic diseases. It is
named as one of

the most complicated and intricate forms of medicine. Siddha considers
nature

and man as one essential entity. It claims that physiological
characteristics like

human aging can itself be arrested with natural remedies.

Naturopathy has evolved medical tourism in India in more than one
ways.

With its systems of medication using all natural ingredients to
restore the holistic

disease-fighting nature of the human body, the medicine has created
increased

chances of its own survival through tourists from all parts of the
world visiting

India to reap its benefits. As Vitthal Kamat of the Kamat Group of
Hotels says,

"With Naturopathy and Ayurveda along with the world renowned tourist
attractions

and heritage places, the tourism sector can grow in leaps and
bounds."5 Naturopathy

in "KayaKalp", a naturopathy centre in Himachal Pradesh, run by
the Vivekananda Medical Research Trust in India has served medical
tourists in detoxifying, immunizing and rejuvenating through Yoga,
Pranayama, Panchkarma, Meditation and Naturopathy. Its therapies are
claimed to be drug-less and extremely natural. Naturopathy takes the
help of Ayurvedic preparations for healing processes like Panchkarma
and improvement of blood circulation.

India's pioneer in alternative therapy – medical tourism, Kerala,
has visitors

from all over the world in the months of June, July and August. These
months are

looked upon as the best period for cure of bodily ailments through
Ayurveda.

High quality medical facilities provided at low prices are the main
tourist attraction

in Kerala. Mr. M Narayanan, head of Poovar Island Resort says that
there are

tourists from countries like Australia, Europe and Germany. The
packages offered

in these Ayurvedic spas include services like Ayurvedic oil massages,
powder

massages, vegetarian diets, detoxification programs and a lifestyle
change. In fact

it is little known that Ayurveda includes not just massages, but a
whole gamut of

services like herbal and natural diet plans, natural healing
therapies, and therefore

a full-fledged medical system.

Ayurveda Gram, a unique Ayurvedic Institution in Bangalore offers
Ayurveda

in its wellness form to medical tourists. It offers services like
Customized Yoga,

Pranayama, Meditation, and a vegetarian diet to boost metabolism. Its
sprawling

campus full of medicinal herbs and natural surrounds helps in the
processes of

cure for specific ailments like Arthiritis, Spondilytis, Cholesterol,
Sinusitis, Peptic

Ulcer and Obesity. Other therapies by Ayurveda Gram include Stress
Management

therapies, Panchkarma and rejuvenation therapies.

AYUSH, the department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha

and Homeopathy was formed under the Indian Medicine Central Council
Act,

1970. One of the most recent awareness activities undertaken by AYUSH
was a

health fair organized in parts of Hyderabad, Chennai, Indore and New
Delhi.

AYUSH ensured that the major Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha manufacturers
in

India participated in this health fair.

Another famous Ayurvedic centre in India is the C V N Kalari Centre
for

Ayurveda. Kalari is one of the approved Ayurvedic centres recognized
by the

Kerala Tourism Department.6 Kalari has its customers from many foreign
countries. The centre specializes in Marma Chikitsa (the application
of pressure on specific

nerve points) and other special practices of healing. Having both
therapeutic and

rejuvenative aspects in them, these specialized healing procedures
take extensive help

of Ayurveda to treat the ailing.

Some Ayurvedic resorts have formulated Ayurvedic kitchens that help
improve

the effectiveness of oil treatments. Diet regimens, detoxification
programs and other

processes that give a glowing skin to the customer are very popular.
Some of these

Ayurvedic resorts also arrange for cooking classes to help their
customers acquire

and maintain the lifestyle that they are introduced to in these spas
and resorts.

Ananda, an Ayurvedic Spa in the Himalayas is one of the most famous
destination

resorts in India. It offers specialty Ayurvedic packages like Aroma
therapy massages,

reflexology programs for rejuvenation, stress release programs,
personalized Yoga

sessions, body composition analysis and weight reduction programs
through Yoga

and Ayurveda. Ananda claims that its packages and therapies cure many
ailments

like headaches, nausea, climatic disorders, facial paralysis,
insomnia, asthma, neuralgia

and does general improvement of metabolism.

*China*

The 3000 year-old method of traditional medicine in China has gained
popularity

as the world's most popular medicine, being used by more than a
quarter of the

world in treating even chronic diseases like cancer, AIDS, allergies
and heart diseases.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses medicinal herbs, therapeutic
exercises

and acupuncture to cure ailments. TCM diagnoses illnesses based on the
five elements

theory and the yin-yang theory. The five elements theory base their
evaluation on the

five elements – wood, fire, earth, metal and water to establish a
connection between

human physiology and pathology and the natural environment.7 The
movement of

these five elements constantly rules the functioning of the human body
and thus

establishes the interdependence of both.

The yin-yang theory calls for comprehending the bright and dark sides
of

the universe, in other words, the opposite properties of the
universe.8 The relative

nature of yin and yang represents the interrelationship between
substance and function. As traditional chinese medical practitioners
say "Only with ample

substance can the human body function in a healthy way; and only when
the

functional processes are in good condition, can the essential
substances be

appropriately refreshed."

Chinese herbal medicine is more known as Chinese materia medica. This
includes

Chinese crude medicine, prepared drugs in pieces, traditional Chinese
patented

medicines and simplified Chinese medicinal preparations. Chinese
herbology, a major

aspect of TCM addresses the art of combining medicinal herbs.10 It
visualizes the

entire human body's balance of energies and spirit to treat a
medical condition.

Herbs are combined into different potions of various characteristics
for the sake of

different individuals being treated by TCM practitioners. Herbs like
Astragalus,

Ginkgo, Ginger, Green Tea, Siberian Ginseng and Garlic are used to
treat several

ailments. Around 300 mineral and animal extracts and 400 formulae are
used to

cure diseases, in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Acupuncture, as part of TCM is used to unblock the flow of vital
energy through

the human body.11 One of the oldest healing techniques in the world,
this traditional

method aims at "restoring health through simulation of specific
points on the body."12

Ailments like nausea, addictions and some kinds of pains are claimed
to be treated

with the help of acupuncture.

Taking advantage of its abundant human resources, China is luring
medical tourists

into its web of alternative medical therapies. Wellness packages in
China come at

low costs and without any side-effects, thanks to proliferated
Traditional Chinese

Medicine. Several massages and spas have been set up in recent times
that provide

mental health and physical well-being to medical tourists with the
help of Chinese

medicinal herbs. Wellness apartments are established for the purpose
of serving

senior medical tourists. These wellness apartments facilitate these
tourists in

practising their own hobbies and also conducting medical activities
like Taiji.

*Germany*

Germany's alternative medical practices have their origins in
Homeopathy, a

medical system that was developed by Samuel Hahnemann, a German
physician.

Homeopathy considers symptoms as disturbances of vital forces that
have

connection with the human body. Homeopathic advocators believe that
this

medical system has the ability to cure acute diseases like flu, cold,
pains, depression

and fatigue, constipation, irritability other than chronic diseases.
It is claimed to

cure allergies and allergic disorders like Eczema and Asthma.
Moreover, this

medical system is child friendly, in the sense, that the medication
given by

homeopaths is sweet to the tooth and therefore acceptable. Homeopaths
are known

for debonair and their hands free treatment of patients. They
concentrate more

on the patient's state of mind and attitude towards life. The
preparation of different

potions in Homeopathy is done mostly with the help of herbs, minerals
and

animal extracts. Also, it is often reasoned that since the dosage that
homeopaths

prescribe is in such minute constitutions and because they come in
dilutions of

substances like water and alcohol there is no chance of any
side-effects.

Germany also stands famous for its herbal remedies. Regulated by
Commission

E14 on the purity and pharmaceutical activity, these herbal medicines
in Germany

have come a long way in preventing and curing many diseases like
cancer, AIDS and

other serious ailments. Most physicians in Germany are required to be
educated in

Alternative therapies, so that it serves complimentary to modern
medical treatments.

As Mark Blumenthal, chairman of the American Botanical Council points
out, "Most

of the clinical research that's conducted on the leading herbal
medicines in the United

States comes from Germany."15

With more than 300 spa towns, Germany has become the premier
destination

for health and wellness in Europe.16 One of the most famous resorts in
Germany

is the Baltic Spa Resort in Warnemunde. Situated on the shore of the
Baltic Sea,

it idealizes the sea as a "homeopathic pharmacy" and claims that
"it contains all

important trace elements and has a similar composition to human
blood"17 Sea water is said to have revitalizing effects in treating
bodily ailments like respiratory

illnesses, sleep disorders and obesity. Other than these, mental
disorders like

depression, anxiety and agony are claimed to be cured with the help of
the sea.

Sea breeze is said to be specifically effective in treating
cardio-vascular as well as

dermatological conditions. Major advantages that Germany faces are in
terms of

both cost and quality. As Axel Steller, the CEO of the Arab German
Health

Foundation points out, "In the US, operations are four to five times
more expensive

as they are in Germany".

*Japan*

Japanese medicine is known as Kanpo or Kampo, a herbal medicine that
forms part

of well-researched modern clinical methods and also traditional
methods of

medicine. A Japanese variant of the traditional Chinese medicine or
the Oriental

medicine, Kanpo adheres to the body's natural instincts and natural
mechanism

of healing. For this purpose, medical treatment involves diagnosis of
the tongue,

abdomen and pulse. At each stage of the treatment, different formulae
that are

necessary to bring the body back to normalcy, are prepared by the
physician.

These herbal medicines are regulated by the Japanese Government. Kanpo

medicine is used to cure many acute and chronic ailments like
cardio-vascular,

respiratory, digestive, reproductive and dermatological conditions and
immune

system corrections and even disorders like bedwetting, high
cholesterol and

hepatitis. Though Kanpo therapies take longer than usual to work, this
medical

system uses some very natural diagnosis and treatment methods and
concepts

like water, blood and air to identify bodily symptoms. Also, it is
claimed that

these herbal medicines produce no side-effects because of their
natural

compositions. Japanese therapists of Anma visit countries like India
and Singapore

to help in promotion of health tourism. Anma, a traditional Japanese
massage, is

said to be a complete form of Shiastu19 that treats the body to
release blood flow

in a proper manner to rejuvenate the body.

Apart from attracting tourists for its natural herbal medical
treatments, Medical

tourism in Japan has become popular thanks to its volcanic areas that
have allowed

the formation of some hot mineral water springs called Onsen. Japanese
Onsen serve as places where the ailing can get alternative treatments
to modern medical

practices. These have medicinal properties that heal wounds, alleviate
pains and

replenish energy levels. Senior tourists and people suffering from
many kinds of

aches and pains come flocking to these mineral water springs. The
healing

properties of these springs are accentuated by the surrounding
volcanic soil that

is composed of many minerals and curative elements.

*Outlook of Medical Tourism in Alternative Medicine*

Alternative medicine is here to stay, claim some traditional medical
practitioners.

Given its perceived advantages over the modern medical techniques and
the expensive

western medicines, alternative medical therapy is gaining ground in
many developing

as well as developed countries. Practices like Ayurveda and Homeopathy
claim that

surgery may always be the last option in case of treatment of an
ailment. Natural

medicines like herbs and minerals can all be partaken as food and not
medicines as

such, since their composition is all natural. Alternative medicine is
used in conjunction

with modern medicine to treat many chronic ailments like diabetes and
AIDS. This

helps modern medical practitioners to evolve a closer relationship
with the patient

and cure him to a greater extent, thus giving him a new perspective to
life. It follows

that one should never overlook the disposition of the traditional
cures suggested by

our ancestors. These provide a standpoint from where one can
comprehend the

profundity of traditional and alternative medicine, and gauge the
tremendous potential

of alternative medicine in medical tourism.

*Please seek author's permission for reprint. Send a reprint request
to kirrti82@gmail.com.*

References

1. www.hinduonnet.com

2. "Kerala", www.takekerala.com

3. "Prospects of Medical Tourism in India", www.mpiweb.org

4. "Medical Tourism push for Penang and Langkawi",
http://thestar.com.my

5. www.wikipedia.com

_By: *keerti mallela*_

*About the Author:*

The author writes articles in areas of economics, business, finance
and management.