AMBestalternativehealth.docx

1、AMBestalternativehealthAlternative Health Centers/PractitionersAlternative Health Centers/Practitioners Holistic Healing Centers Homeopathists .Aromatherapists Offices of Health Practitioners, NEC Medical Offices a3520Original: 7/94 LineBests Hazard IndexUnderwriting Comments AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY1 A

2、UTOMOBILE PHYSICAL DAMAGE-GENERAL LIABILITY4Seminars.PRODUCT LIABILITY AND COMPLETED OPERATIONS4Foreign suppliers.PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY2Much higher if practitioner is an M.D. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPAIRMENT LIABILITY-WORKERS COMPENSATION4Possible exposure to infectious disease.CRIME3Higher with retail ope

3、ration.FIRE AND E.C.4Higher with restaurant/snackbar.BUSINESS INTERRUPTION3INLAND MARINE1 BOILER AND MACHINERY-Low 1-3, Medium 4-6, High 7-9, Very High 10 SIC CodeSIC Classification 8049Offices of Health Practitioners, NEC ISO CodeISO Classification 66561Medical OfficesSpecial Exposures No regulator

4、y agencyAllergic reactions to herbsUnscientific methodsRestaurants/snackbars Related Classifications Accounting FirmsAcupuncturistsChiropractors OfficesFast Food RestaurantsGift or Souvenir ShopsHealth Food StoresHypnosis CentersMassage Therapists RISK DESCRIPTION a352r.Some people do it because the

5、y no longer wish to be treated with drugs that can cause unpleasant side effects. Others do it because they feel detached from their treatments and want more input into how to combat their conditions. Others have tried it because prior treatments have had no noticeable effects, and they have no plac

6、e else to turn - often the case for those suffering from a terminal illness. The it in these cases is one of the various forms of alternative medicine that have become popular in the United States in recent years. Although relatively new in the United States, many methods of alternative medicine hav

7、e been in existence for thousands of years and are not considered alternative in their countries of origin. Acupuncture, for example, was developed in China over 2,000 years ago and is still one of the primary means of health care in that country. A pioneer of alternative medicine was Samuel Hahnema

8、nn, a German physician who came to believe that conventional medicine often caused more harm than good. He developed the theory of homeopathy (from the root words homeo meaning same and pathos meaning suffering or disease), a method of treating disease with what causes the condition. The technique w

9、as first realized when Hahnemann ingested a large amount of quinine, an elixir that was widely used during the late 18th century. In observing his own reaction, he found that his body exhibited symptoms of malaria - fever, chills, trembling, thirst, drowsiness, prostration and flushed cheeks. He ded

10、uced that if the dosage was lowered, the symptoms would be minor. After further testing of his homeopathic theory, Hahnemann developed the Law of Potentization, which suggests that the lower the dosage, the greater (or more beneficial) the effect on the body. His theory was backed by the commonly ac

11、cepted belief that the human body had the ability to heal itself; homeopathic remedies merely gave the body a jump start in the healing process. Homeopathy was common in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries until it came under scrutiny by the American Medical Association (

12、AMA) which condemned its unconventional methods. The AMA contended that the principles of homeopathy contradicted the laws of science. Conventional physicians did not believe that highly diluted homeopathic potions contained enough of the original substance to have therapeutic value. Thus, homeopath

13、y fell out of favor with the American public for a good portion of the 1900s. Alternative medicine has experienced a resurgence in popularity in the past 20 years. A study conducted by the Harvard Medical School found that one out of every three people visited an alternative health practitioner in 1

14、990, accounting for 425 million visits in comparison to an estimated 388 million visits to conventional doctors. Some techniques, such as crystal healing, a New Age therapy which claims to derive healing energy from quartz and other minerals, are likely to be pure quackery. There is growing evidence

15、, however, that techniques such as homeopathy and biofeedback that were once considered ridiculous, are effective methods for treating chronic illnesses and pain. The theory behind alternative medicine differs from conventional (allopathic) medicine which treats symptoms displayed as a result of ill

16、ness. Instead of treating one symptom or one part of the body, alternative therapy treats the entire body and mind. For example, conventional doctors may prescribe pain killers for chronic headaches. Alternative practitioners would attempt to discern the cause of the headaches by interviewing the pa

17、tients; depending on the type of practitioner, treatments could include biofeedback (to teach the patient to control responses to stress), acupuncture (to open clogged energy channels) or a homeopathic remedy (introducing into the body a trace amount of what might cause a headache, thus stimulating

18、the bodys healing response). The resurgence of alternative medicine in the United States has led to the 1992 formation of the Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM), a division of the National Institute of Health (NIH). The purpose of the OAM is to evaluate alternative medical treatment modalities to

19、determine their effectiveness and to help integrate effective treatments into mainstream medical practices. This is accomplished by sponsoring research and conferences and by conducting field investigations. The OAM classifies alternative techniques in the following groups: Diet/Nutrition/Lifestyle

20、Changes include macrobiotics, megavitamins, diets and changes in lifestyle; Mind/Body Control encompasses art therapy, sound and music therapy, biofeedback, hypnotherapy, guided imagery, and counseling and prayer therapy; Traditional and Ethnomedicine deals with acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopa

21、thic medicine, Native American techniques, natural products and traditional Oriental medicine; Structural and Energetic Therapies use acupressure, chiropractic, massage therapy, reflexology (manipulations of the feet to treat conditions in the rest of the body), rolfing (a deep, often painful massag

22、e) and therapeutic touch; Pharmacological and Biological Treatments include anti-oxidizing techniques, cell treatment, chelation therapy, metabolic therapy and oxidizing agents; and Bioelectromagnetic Applications include electromagnetic fields, electrostimulation and neuromagnetic stimulation devic

23、es, magnetoresonance spectroscopy, and blue-light and artificial lighting treatments. In the United States, people most often seek treatment from alternative medical practitioners for conditions related to aging and lifestyle, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, coronary artery dis

24、ease and ulcers. Generally these are chronic conditions that often will not respond to drugs or other conventional treatments. Rather than continue a seemingly fruitless method of treatment, patients will seek - and are sometimes referred by their medical doctors - help from alternative practitioner

25、s who may use techniques shown to have better results. Similar to conventional medical associations, alternative healing centers may combine various alternative specialties. Alternative centers will most often be found in large cities; many will be found near colleges and universities. Alternative c

26、enters also may have a retail store where herbal remedies, foods, gifts items, books, and musical and self-help recordings are sold; some centers also may have a small health food restaurant and juice bar. Practitioner training varies depending on the techniques used. With the exceptions of acupunct

27、urists and chiropractors, techniques may be learned through correspondence courses or even by reading books. Acupuncturists may attend a special school or complete an apprenticeship lasting three to six years. Chiropractors are required to attend chiropractic schools, pass chiropractic exams and be

28、licensed to practice. Hypnotists learn their art through classes and seminars; some states require that hypnotists first be board-certified psychologists. Homeopathists often are medical doctors who become interested in homeopathy during their careers in conventional medicine. However, there are hom

29、eopathic correspondence courses and a few training schools available for laypeople who wish to practice. Following is a list and description of some of the more common alternative medical practices: Homeopathy: the premise behind this treatment is that if the body is introduced to minor symptoms of

30、an illness, it will trigger the bodys inherent defense system and prevent a major occurrence of the illness. Homeopathic remedies are prescribed by some physicians and health professionals with conventional training and are also available by mail order, in certain drugstores and from homeopaths and

31、naturopaths. Remedies are prepared by repeatedly diluting a substance in water. The mainstream medical and scientific communities, however, have difficulty accepting homeopathic remedies; they maintain that after dilution, virtually none of the original substance remains. Hahnemann, the founder of h

32、omeopathy, claimed that the Law of Potentization results in medicines becoming stronger as they become more dilute. This tenet is in direct opposition to the proven scientific theory that the greater the dose, the more profound the effect. Three states - Arizona, Connecticut and Nevada - have separate medical boards that license and oversee homeopathic practitioners; it is against the law to practice homeopathy in North Carolina. Medicinal Herbalism: the practice of promoti