While typical and traditional medicine is the primary way of treating many illnesses, a lot of people around the globe search for the aid of alternative medicine out for their disorders. Alternative medicine succumbs to traditions, awareness, and ideas and methods including plant, animal, and mineral medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques, applied singularly for combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses. This type of medicine is a widely accepted form of health care all over the world. The growing field of alternative medicine actually goes back a few thousand years, which was ruling standard medical practices. It gives prominence to promote health rather than disease. A World Health Organization (WHO) survey shows that 60-90% of people rely on alternative medicine, which explains the renewed interest in them of late.

Alternative medicines of therapeutics from India, which include homoepathy, ayurveda, naturopathy, siddha and yoga, have a definite role to play in lessening up chronic and acute sickness. India is home to 15,000 medicinal plants and is one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world.

Homeopathy is very effective for acute and chronic diseases. It is the only system of medicine, which offers healing treatment to many chronic ailments, which have been labeled as "incurable" by other schools of medicine. Homeopathic medicine, if selected properly, gives results quicker. Homeopathic medicines are bestowed as sweet sugar pills, thus easy to take and children readily agree to take this. The treatment is very cheap, so there is modest stress on costly diagnostic procedures. Not only the person's immediate complaints improve, but also his weakness to disease decreases as there is a general improvement in health by homeopathy.

Ayurveda is the first such medical system that recognizes that all diseases are the direct expression of one's psychological conditions. It provides us with a unique physical purification method. Ayurvedic massages, inhalation of herbal preparations, and panchakarma leave a soothing effect on the nerves. It helps to remove depression, decrease pain, and restore the balance of the internal systems, the mind, emotions, and consciousness.

Naturopathy dates back to Hippocrates era. It is a system of natural medicine which spotlights on the meaning of lifestyle, fresh air, exercise, sunshine, diet, pure water, healthy environment, rest and emotional balance. The treatment is based on nature's will that given the right conditions cure all troubles. Everyone has a healing force within us that heals all diseases but this healing force requires certain conditions such as nutritious food, pure water, exercise, fresh air and rest. Without these conditions, the body will be in a state of diseases.

Siddha Medicine signifies medicine that is perfect. No one knows about its initiation, but it evolved when the world started from spirituality. Vishwa Brahma Dutt meditated for 41,000 years, communicated with the elements air, water, ether, earth and fire, and also the plants. He compiled the knowledge and left it for the future generations. Siddha Medicine revitalizes and rejuvenates the organs, the dysfunction of which causes the disease; it also maintains the ratio of Vata, Pitta and Kapha, thus maintaining the healthy state of the body. No artificial chemicals are involved and have no side-effects. Siddha Medicine is a boon for chronic ailments like arthritis and diabetes for which conventional medicine doesn't have permanent cure. Siddha Medicine tackles this problem. It corrects the function of pancreas, stimulating it to produce insulin in the natural way, which in turn maintains the blood sugar level. Preventive measures are also available. For instance, if you have a family history of heart attacks, Siddha Medicine can be taken to strengthen your heart and guard it against an attack.

Yoga is a healing system of theory and practice; it is a combination of breathing exercises, physical postures, and meditation, practiced for over 5,000 years. Yoga is considered a mind-body interference that is used to lessen the health effects of sweeping stress. Yoga is believed to calm the nervous system and balance the body, mind, and spirit. Yoga can be as important as any medication; this is a lifestyle change and a way to improve the quality of your life. For each type of ailment, combine a specific yoga routine with common-sense suggestions, such as dietary changes, exercise and enough sleep. For example, those suffering from asthma may want to try walking as well as a yoga routine that includes the positions of wing and prayer, the newspaper and seated chair twist.

But what makes all these alternative medicine therapies exceptional? All of these are inimitably diverse as alternative medicine excels in the treatment of chronic disease; homeopathy is very effective as a first-aid. They strive to find and treat the cause of a disorder and more focused on prevention. Each person is considered as a unique individual and uses a holistic approach in treatment. The theory believes in gentle, long-term support to enable the body's own innate powers to do the healing. Medicines are time-tested, natural, gentle and hands-on treatments. It requires the patient to take a highly active part in both prevention and treatment. Alternative medicine systems accept that the body is suffused by a network of channels that carry life energy. Imbalances of this energy are what lead to disease and clearing of it and strengthening the energy is the definitive goal of it.

Alternative medical practitioners embrace the use of natural therapies and products, whereas established physicians are still exhausted their heels laughing at alternative medicine. This fact is motivating the fast and massive change from traditional to alternative medicine. Prohibitively expensive traditional and conventional medical care has encouraged many to seek alternative means to cure their ailments. However, as world population continues to expand and health care concerns raise, it is likely that alternative medical treatments will continue to expand in reputation and reception by medical and non-medical professionals equally.