Integrative Medicine (IM) Overview

Integrative Medicine (IM) as healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person, including all aspects of lifestyle. Integrative Medicine strives to heal the body, mind and spirit by combining traditional and alternative medicine. 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 approaches to achieve optimal health and healing. Integrative Medicine encompasses the caring between the patient and the caregiver and the responsibility of the caregiver to enable the patient to benefit from the full array of modalities that can be shown to improve health.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Complementary and Alternative Medicines has to be differentiated from interactive medicine. In complementary and alternative medicine there is a diverse group of medical and health care practices which are not included as part of mainstream medicine (Conventional Medicine).

• Alternating Medicine:   Medicines used for healing, but not based on the evidence. It consist of  wide  range  of  health care practices products therapies using  alternative  diagnosis and  treatment ,which are typically not   included in degree courses of establishment  ,medical schools or used in conventional medicines .Example Homeopathy, Naturopathy , Chiropractic , acupuncture.
• Complementary Medicine: Alternative Medicine used together with conventional medicines for treatment in a belief, which has not been proven scientifically, but main purpose is   to complement the treatment.

Principles of Integrative Medicine

• Doctor and   patient relationship has to be established so that   better healing process is carried out.
• Appropriate use of Conventional and alternate facility methods to facilitate the body’s innate healing process.
• All factors have to be considered that influence health, wellness and disease including mind spirit and community as well as body.
• Use of natural, effective, less invasive interventions whenever possible.
• It provides a broader Concept of promotion of health and the prevention of illness and as well as treatment of disease.
• Training  of  practitioners to be models  of  health and  healing ,committed to the  process of  self exploration  and  self development.

Impetus in Integrative Medicine:          

• Majority of the individuals showed more interest towards complementary medicines as compared to integrative medicine.
• Doctors and patients were unsatisfied in using pharmaceuticals products to treat and suppress a specific disease rather than Healing.
• The Doctor obtaining  specialist degree in  medicine has resulted in deviating  their  traditional  role  of comprehensive  care giver which mainly focus on healing  and  well being  has been neglected. Besides   certain diseases which are not diagnosed from mainstream conventional medicines ,help may  be  taken  from  outside the  mainstream medicines  to treat  the  difficult case like  irritable  bowel syndrome  and  fibromyalgia.

History of Integrative Medicine

• 1990-The concept of integrative medicine was evolved. Doctors showed keen interest in practicing in Acupuncture, hydrotherapy, and massage therapy.
• 1999-Health Center for integrative Medicine was founded.
• 2001- USA started near about 27 integrative clinics.
• 2013- Member board were expanded it consist of 56 members.
• 2013-2014-Board certification of the course was done and the Doctors were awarded the degree.