Complementary and Alternative (CAM) Therapy

To understand the origins of complementary and alternative therapy, it is essential to look back at the history of medicine in general. Many of the techniques utilized in CAM therapy date back thousands of years and find their origin in many traditional practices. A high percentage of these traditional practices are derived from indigenous cultures and ancient civilizations. These widely practiced healing practices often made use of spiritual principles and religious philosophies.

The fact that these traditional practices are now considered “alternatives” is a relatively new development. Before the 19th century, the medical establishment as we know it today was not well-regulated. Surgeons and pharmacists trained as apprentices rather than at universities. During this time, however, an elite population of university-trained physicians was beginning to emerge. By the 20th century, a standardized set of medical practices had emerged. 

This branch of medical science, known sometimes as biomedicine, Western medicine, conventional medicine, and mainstream medicine, was notable for stressing evidence-based and research-backed treatment methods. Before the development of mainstream medicine, clinical practices were not always informed by biological or physiological principles. By the mid-20th century, biomedicine had become the orthodox approach to treating health conditions, at least in the Western Hemisphere.

With the rise of orthodox biomedicine came a new understanding of traditional healing practices. Medical professionals, intellectuals, and the media worked hard to discredit these traditional healing practices. The science-based medical establishment dismissed people who used these healing techniques as “irregular practitioners.” As Western medicine continued to develop, traditional healers and practitioners of what came to be known as “alternative medicine” were increasingly marginalized.

During the 1960s and 1970s, however, the counterculture movement and new age movement caused people to reconsider the role of alternative therapies. An increasing distrust of authorities in general, including medical authorities, caused people to seek alternatives to the mainstream approach. Many people began to have doubts about the harmful side effects of pharmaceutical drugs prescribed by mainstream doctors. The West also began to reconsider its tendency to dismiss other cultures as merely “superstitious” or “unscientific.” 

Cultural relativism and increased cultural sensitivity led many people to once again take seriously the contributions of indigenous and non-Western medical practitioners. Over time, biomedicine came to be understood as merely one of many possible frameworks under which a person could practice medicine. Alternative practices that do not follow the scientific mainstream grew to be more widely established, and efforts to implement these practices alongside mainstream practices became more accepted.