Who defines holistic medicine?

May 31, 2008

The field of holistic medicine can confuse newcomers and experts alike. At the most basic level, people use the term “holistic” to mean different things. Sometimes they mean that any natural product that they use instead of a drug is “holistic.” But, that may not always be a valid way to think about it.

In my opinion, “holistic” means the effects on the person as a whole matter. If a treatment improves a person’s health without causing deterioration in other aspects of health in the short term and — especially in the long term (years) — (no side effects), it is a more ideal type of holistic medicine.

It is possible to use many alternative medicine treatments in a drug-like, non-holistic way. Most drugs target a specific body part, not the whole person’s health and well-being.

Even within the field of alternative medicine, a treatment may be frontier, middle-of-the-road, or conservative. Different people often disagree on what treatments belong in any one of those broad categories. For example, where would you place acupuncture? Packages of conventional drugs used in FDA-non-approved ways for problems that are themselves controversial, e.g., to treat chronic fatigue syndrome? Prayer?

Belief systems and culture often underlie the opinions that we each hold concerning a specific type of therapy.