Medicine was always located in drugs or surgery. It was supported by a parallel system that was independent and complementary known as Alternative Medicine. However, the two, until recently, had no intention of meeting.
Medicine grew out of a system of clinical trials, surveys, scans, medical records, experiments, and data. These went through rigorous approval testing before licensed boards. The system boasted of the rights of methodology, license, discipline, and efficiency. Alternative medicine, was located in natural wellness systems, based on non-invasive techniques, without drugs. The mastery and skill of the practice arose from classic ancient texts, or new scientific discoveries with manual handling. Popular traditions of acupuncture, shiatsu, Ayurveda, yoga, and aromatherapy, homeopathy fell under this broad general category of ancient practices and traditions.
Alternative medicine came under a technical license and statute from the World Health Organization that demystified ancient systems and folklore. The standardization of acupuncture points in the practice of acupuncture among all countries, boards, colleges, and professionals became clear and uniform in the technical description. There were secret energetic practices involved supplemented by healing martial arts such as chi gong, tai chi, ki aikido and others, which were not listed. The fact that the healing arts were essentially energetic meant that the practitioner’s acquired skills were related to developing and cultivating an energetic internal space.
The World Health Organization addressed issues of nomenclature and technical description in some preferred ancient scriptural therapies. Indian Head Massage is an example of a popular science based on the classification of marma points and Ayurvedic massage techniques, arranged for an international qualification for the practice. This science is well described by the National Occupational Standards technical competency listings for applied use. Other new systems have emerged based on public demand that are complementary practices to medicine. These include popular manual therapies such as sports massage, lymphatic drainage massage, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, neuromuscular therapy, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, structural integration, among many more. The formalization of these sciences has taken place in clinical and scientific practice. The competent regulatory and evaluation boards of all nations have sanctioned some of these disciplines as pure or integrated alternative medicine, and have made the industry manifest itself in a parallel but complementary field.
The formalization of alternative medicine grew in importance as modern modalities and technologies became entrenched in ancient systems. Low-level laser and light therapies became an option for acupuncture where needles were unsuitable. Full body biofeedback machines such as Medilab’s Beautytech, have been based on galvanic induction and biomodulation of acupuncture points via acupuncture meridians and lymphatic pathways.
Innovation in alternative medicine is based on a formal understanding of the natural process that has greatly benefited humans for many centuries.
Low level laser was able to change the phenomenon of acupuncture to the next level with the discovery of the genetic potential of blood acupuncture with blood laser irradiation through the vein. Adjunctive treatments with chlorophyll and light sensitizers support reversal of tissue death as in malignancy. The advantage of modern scientific discovery in alternative medicine is that treatment protocols have full controls and results, and mystical human energy practice is separate from therapy.
The UK Crown encouraged doctors to embrace the alternative medicine industry and endorse their practices to better support wellbeing. This was resisted at first, and suspicion continued between the two streams. However, physicians themselves have absorbed medical acupuncture into their practice through sanctioned seminars of late, and have become more aware of the therapeutic value of standardized systems.
As Industry vectors grow in ecosystems, sciences and preferences seem to merge. The disparities are minor and the disciplines find consensus. Future prospects look promising and the recovery is well underway.
