Conventional medicine Definition A medical model

Conventional medicine

Definition • A medical model of evidence-based practice for diagnosing and treating disease. • A system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery.

History • • In some Asian and African countries, up to 80% of the population relies on traditional medicine for their primary health care needs. Practices known as traditional medicines include Ayurveda, ancient Iranian medicine, Islamic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Korean medicine, acupuncture and traditional African medicine. In the written record, the study of herbs dates back 5, 000 years to the ancient Sumerians, who described well-established medicinal uses for plants. At the turn of the century, the rejection of synthetic or biomedical products has become a growing trend in Western society and allowed for a rise in the demand for natural medicines. It is estimated that over 50% of the world’s population relies on folk medicine practices. Much of today's modern medicine though is previously based on plants that had been long used in folk medicine.

Dr. Alan Gaby , Nutrition & Dietetics • Conventional medicine is the type of medicine that the people who control the medical education system have deemed to be the most appropriate system of medical care. In the United States, conventional medicine consists primarily of drugs and surgery, which are the most widely used treatment modalities. Other treatments such as nutritional therapy and herbal medicine, are not generally considered to be a part of conventional medicine, even though they have been shown to be safe, effective, and relatively inexpensive.

Dr. Daniel R. Spogen, Family Medicine • Conventional medicine applies to the medicine that graduates of traditional medical schools. When you go to your doctor, for the most part you will be prescribed conventional medicine. Conventional medicine does not include homeopathy, accupuncture, aromatherapy. That is not to say there is not a place for these treatments in certain patients.

Dr. Robin Miller, Internal Medicine • Conventional medicine involves regular medical doctors and general medical practices such as cardiology, gastroenterology, psychiatry, etc. Cardiologists and general physicians now regularly use fish oil to improve heart health. Also digitalis used as a leaf had been used for centuries to treat certain heart problems. Modern medicine has been using it as a regular, conventional medication (in the form of a pill). As medicine evolves more complementary therapies may become conventional and the two may merge into one.

How it works? Conventional medicine generally uses an approach of diagnosing a symptom or set of symptoms, and then prescribing a treatment or product to address the symptoms. Cost? A Conventional Medical Consultation generally varies from $45. 00 to $60. 00 for a 15 minute consultation. Initial consultations for new patients usually last between 30 and 45 minutes.