DIFFERENT THERAPEUTIC
MODALITIES - II
DR. SYED MERAJ AHMED
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE
SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this session the student should be able to:
• Differentiate between pharmacological and non pharmacological therapies.
• Define complementary alternative medicine (CAM) including homeopathy
herbal medicine & spiritual therapy and discuss its clinical implications
• Discuss the role of diet, nutrition and lifestyle changes in management of
diseases.
Pharmacological therapies
• In general terms, pharmacology is the science of drug action on biological
systems.
• Pharmacological therapy is medical care that involves the use of
medications, either alone or in combination with other types of therapy.
• It is based on the principles of how the human body affects individual drugs,
how drugs affect the body, and how drugs interact with each other.
Non pharmacological therapies
• Therapy that does not include medications is called non-pharmacological
therapy.
• This can include lifestyle changes, such as diet, exercise, and control of
smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Others include the use of patient education, cognitive behavioral therapy
(CBT), relaxation, and music.
Non pharmacological therapies that may contribute to effective analgesia in
palliative care settings
Patient
education
TENS
Magnet
therapy
Acupuncture
Reflexology
Reiki
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
HOMEOPATHY
A medical philosophy and practice based on the
idea that the body has the ability to heal itself.
Based on three
laws
The Law of Similar: States that whatever would cause your
symptoms, will also cure those same symptoms.
The Law of Infinitesimals: Improve the effect of 'like-cures-like
treatments' by repeatedly diluting them in water.
The Law of Succussion: The vigorous shaking of a homeopathic
remedy would further increase its potency.
Homeopathic remedies are derived from substances
that come from plants, minerals, or animals, such as
red onion, arnica (mountain herb), crushed whole
bees, white arsenic, poison ivy, belladonna (deadly
nightshade), and stinging nettle.
Treatments are “individualized”
or tailored to each person—it
is not uncommon for different
people with the same
condition to receive different
treatments.
Homeopathic remedies are often
formulated as sugar pellets to be
placed under the tongue; they may
also be in other forms, such as
ointments, gels, drops, creams,
and tablets.
HERBAL MEDICINE
What is herbal medicine?
Herbal medicine -- also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine -- refers to
using a plant's seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal
purposes.
• The World Health Organization estimated that
Ancient Chinese and Egyptian papyrus writings
describe medicinal uses for plants as early as
3,000 BC. Indigenous cultures (such as African
and Native American) used herbs in their
healing rituals, while others developed
traditional medical systems (such as Ayurveda
and Traditional Chinese Medicine) in which
herbal therapies were used.
80% of people worldwide rely on herbal
medicines for some part of their primary health
care.
• In Germany, about 600 - 700 plant based
medicines are available and are prescribed by
some 70% of German physicians.
How do herbs work?
In many cases, scientists aren’t sure what specific ingredient in a
particular herb works to treat a condition or illness.
Whole herbs contain many ingredients, and they may work
together to produce a beneficial effect.
What is herbal medicine good for?
Herbal medicine is used to treat many conditions, such as
asthma, eczema, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis,
migraine, menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue, irritable
bowel syndrome, and cancer, among others.
SPIRITUAL THERAPY
What is Spiritual Therapy?
Spiritual therapy is a method of intentionally
exploring problems and conflicts from a
spiritual perspective.
It is a way to explore your own spiritual
beliefs, ideas, values and conflicts in a safe
and non-judgmental environment.
Who is Spiritual Therapy appropriate for?
Spiritual Therapy is appropriate for anyone who wants to
explore the health benefits of spiritual or religious beliefs, ideas
and/or values into their therapy sessions.
How does Spiritual Therapy help?
 Broaden your understanding of yourself
 Tap into internal resources/strengths you didn’t know you had.
 Learn to trust yourself
 Decrease anxiety, depression and loneliness
 Increase self-esteem and self-motivation
 Strengthen your relationships
 Find purpose in your life
Use of Complementary and Alternative medicine worldwide
About 80% of the people in Africa use traditional medicine.
In France, 75% of the population has used complementary medicine at least
once.
In Germany, 77% of pain clinics provide acupuncture
In the United Kingdom, expenditure on
complementary or alternative medicine
stands at US$ 2300 million per year.
The global market for traditional therapies stands at US$ 60 billion a year and
is steadily growing.
The WHO TM/CAM strategy aims to assist countries to:
 Develop national policies on the evaluation and regulation of TM/CAM practices;
 Create a stronger evidence base on the safety, efficacy and quality of the
TM/CAM products and practices;
 Ensure availability and affordability of TM/CAM, including essential herbal
medicines;
 Promote therapeutically sound use of TM/CAM by providers and consumers.
Dietary recommendation for better health
Prevention primarily facilitated through an active lifestyle, proper diet and
nutrition
A guide to usage of
nutrients on a daily
basis to maintain
good health and
immunity
An assessment of nutritional requirement in obesity associated disorders
Guidelines to diagnose Metabolic Syndrome
TLC – Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes