Alternative medicine: What you need to know

For many people, alternative medicine is a popular addition to conventional medical care. With its holistic approaches, alternative medicine aims to bring body, mind, and soul into healthy harmony.

Alternative treatment approaches can be used for chronic conditions as well as for prevention or to support healing. But what exactly is meant by alternative medicine? What methods are there? And how can conventional and alternative medicine work together? We have summarized the most important information for you.

What is alternative medicine?

Alternative medicine includes medical procedures, methods, and therapies that are not part of conventional or orthodox medical practice. It offers alternative approaches to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. While conventional medicine relies on scientifically sound methods and medication, alternative medicine often uses less invasive approaches, the effects of which are often not proven according to the criteria of evidence-based medicine. It is aimed more at people who are looking for a gentler treatment without severe side effects or a treatment that complements conventional medicine.

Alternative medicine is popular in Switzerland

Alternative medicine is very popular in Switzerland: In the largest population-representative survey on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to date, the Empirical Medicine Register (EMR) found in 2021 that 65% of the Swiss population had already used CAM. Of the respondents, 84% rated the treatments as very successful to sufficiently effective.

Healing methods and treatment procedures

Alternative medicine is a broad field. The term summarizes a variety of different healing methods and treatment procedures:

Alternative medicine: Supplement to conventional medicine

Alternative medicine and conventional medicine are fundamentally different in their approach, methodology, and underlying philosophy. For example, conventional medicine often uses technological means such as laboratory analyses, imaging techniques, and medication. It also relies on clinical trials and scientific evidence to validate its procedures. Alternative medicine, on the other hand, usually uses original methods to activate the body’s self-healing powers. It attaches particular importance to prevention, seeks to restore internal balance, and is based more on many years of experience and traditional knowledge.

Alternative medicine: Evidence of effectiveness?

Individual alternative medical methods such as acupuncture for pain relief have been scientifically investigated and recognized as effective. Others have not been scientifically proven to be effective, including many homeopathic approaches.

Therefore, alternative medicine cannot completely replace conventional medicine – especially in acute or life-threatening cases such as heart attacks, strokes, or severe infections. Caution should also be exercised in the case of potentially fatal diseases such as cancer. Here, alternative medicine should only be used as an additional therapy. It can be used to relieve side effects of conventional medical treatments (e.g. nausea during chemotherapy). For chronic ailments such as back pain, sleep disorders, or mild psychological stress, alternative methods often show good results on their own. The gentle, often natural methods make it possible to relieve discomfort and promote long-term well-being without resorting to medication. Alternative medicine can also have a supportive effect in prevention and help to promote general health and strengthen the immune system. Nevertheless, alternative medicine does not completely replace conventional medicine.

Holistic health: The benefits of alternative medicine

Alternative medicine offers several benefits and has become a popular option for many people alongside or in addition to conventional medicine. Alternative medicine offers you, among other things:

• Holistic approaches: Alternative medicine considers the human being as a unit of body, mind, and soul. It tries to identify the cause of symptoms rather than just treating symptoms.
• Gentle methods: Medicines such as herbal preparations, homeopathic remedies, or acupuncture usually have a gentle effect and often have few or no side effects.
• More prevention: Alternative medicine places great emphasis on preventing illness. Methods such as yoga, Ayurveda, or TCM promote a healthy lifestyle and strengthen the body’s self-healing powers.
• Individual support: In alternative medicine, the focus is on the personal needs and lifestyle of the patient. Therapists often have more time for discussions and a comprehensive analysis, which leads to individual treatment.
• Less medication: Many people value alternative medicine because it can reduce or avoid the use of strong drugs. Alternative medicine offers relief, especially for people who are sensitive to certain medications or have to deal with increased side effects.
• Greater personal responsibility: Many alternative approaches promote the active participation of patients in their health. Through lifestyle changes, a healthy diet, and regular exercise, the approach raises awareness of one’s own health.
• More relaxation: Approaches such as Shiatsu or meditation not only help with physical ailments, but also promote emotional well-being and are particularly effective in stress-related illnesses.

Alternative medicine: Controversial efficacy

Alternative medicine is considered helpful by many people. However, you should keep in mind that many treatment methods also have disadvantages, for example:

• Lack of scientific evidence: Many methods of alternative medicine have not been extensively scientifically researched or their efficacy has not been unequivocally proven. Treatments are then based on empirical values without their effectiveness being assured.
• Delays in necessary treatments: If patients only use alternative methods, this can lead to important conventional medical treatments being postponed or not utilized, which in turn can worsen the course of the disease and have serious consequences.
• More personal responsibility: Alternative medicine relies on active participation, for example through lifestyle changes or regular treatments. Some people find this stressful or difficult to implement.
• Individual efficacy: Alternative medical treatments do not work the same for everyone. What is helpful to one person may have no effect on another.
• Costs sometimes high: Many alternative methods and treatments are not covered by basic insurance. You will have to pay for this privately, which can be expensive, especially in the case of lengthy therapies. Supplementary insurance can help relieve the burden here.
• Different qualifications: In alternative medicine, there are not always standardized training and quality controls. The skill and professionalism of the therapists can therefore vary greatly.
• Placebo effects: Science explains part of the effect of alternative therapies with the placebo effect, i.e. the mere belief in the effectiveness of a treatment. While the effect can be helpful, it also shows that true medical efficacy is not always given.
• Risks of misinformation: Due to the multitude of different methods and providers, there is a risk of falling for dubious treatments or false promises.
• Slow effect: Many alternative methods take time to show results. This can be frustrating, especially in the case of acute symptoms, and can further affect your health.

When the health insurer pays for alternative medicine

In Switzerland, health insurance covers the costs of alternative medicine, subject to certain conditions. Since 2017, basic insurance has covered five complementary medicine methods:

• Homeopathy
• Anthroposophic medicine
• Phytotherapy
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (including acupuncture) 
• Neural therapy. 

The costs of chiropractic are also generally covered by basic insurance. In many cases, alternative treatments that are not included in basic insurance can be covered by supplementary insurance.