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Medicine has become an imprescriptible part of our lives. When we feel unwell we hastily call our parctitioner, go to the chemistry to buy the drugs we need and if something is radically wrong with us receive a sick leave to be able to stay at home and get better. Have you ever imagined that things were not always like that? Here are some stunning facts about the development and main kinds of modern medicine.

The word medicine comes from the Latin “ars medicina”, meaning “the art of healing”. Medicine now is a totally scienctific activity, but you should also know that it is a kind of art - the art of healing humans. The main tasks of present-day medicine is supporting and restoring health by means of prevention and treatment of different health problems. Official medicine sprang up as many healing arts and techniques based on traditional story-told non-scientific practices.

By the way, complementary medicine today has a definite power, too. Why, you might ask? You see, sometimes usual medicine is unable to cure a number of vicious illnesses and injuries such as cancers, diabetes, AIDS, autoimmune diseases, spinal injuries etc. The point is traditional medicine is really good at finding out symptoms typical for definite illnesses and injuries and at prescribing medications and medical procedures able to abate the patient’s pain and suffering. But often it is unable of finding the reason why the health disorder breaks out. On the contrary, alternative medicine still remembers that we possess intellect, body and soul. Anger and hate that you hide inside you alongside with negative emotions you face daily stain your soul, litter your head and ruin your body.

Unlike chaotic approaches of healers, up-to-date medicine is empoweredl with health science, biomedical research and medical technology - it can diagnose and handle injuries and diseases of all types. As a rule it applies medication, surgery and some other forms of therapy. The bulk of doctors try to remember how essential it is for the ill person to feel care and compassion, to have a face-to-face contact with the doctor, that is why they follow the strict set of rules known as bedside manner.

Many millennia ago our forefathers noticed that certain plants, animal parts and minerals help healing injuries and wounds and overcome different health issues. It was not the knowledge for everyone - priests, shamans, healers and medicine men treated them as purely magical substances.
From ancient records we find out that medicine is a very old activity. Texts about ancient Egyptian medicine, Babylonian medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, classical Chinese madicine, ancient Greek and Roman medicine demonstrate that even millennia ago some individuals tried to help others in getting well! Imhotep is the first name of the medical man preserved in the history of medicine. He was an Egyptian and lived about 3rd millennium BC! The fascinating truth is that ancient texts and encryptions tell us that so long ago there were dedicated medicinal treatment facilities for patients (like hospitals these days) and numerous surgical operations including plastic surgery!

You surely know that ancient Greek doctor Hippocrates is said to be “the father of medicine” for establishing rational approach to medicine. Hippocrates created the famous Hippocratic Oath for medical people. Believe it or not, it is still in use today, as relevant and wise as ever before! What is more, Hippocrates managed to perceive health problems as acute, chronic, endemic and epidemic. In addition to it, up-to-date doctors use numerous special words invented by Hippocrates - relapse, resolution, paroxysm, peak, exacerbation, crisis, convalescence are only a few of them!

Surprisingly, the Western world did not develop outstanding ideas of ancient practitioners after the fall of the Roman Empire and the onset of the Dark Ages. Eastern world, on the contrary, kept and supported the Greek and Roman tradition in medicine. A notable Islamic doctor who made a great contribution to medicine, was Avicenna. He created the famous Cannon of Medicine.

Medical science returned to Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries when deadly bubonic plague ravaged Europe killing up to 30-60% of its population. This incredibly dangerous pandemic made practitioners reject the ‘traditional authority’ approach to science and medicine and seek alternative decisions. Practitioners like Ibn al-Nafis and Vesalius did a great job developing or criticizing numerous approaches from the past.

But the new age of medicine began in the 18th century when Edward Jenner discovered the smallpox vaccine. Since then biomedical investigation has become one of the main proofs in medicine, while ancient traditions became a history. Around 1880 Robert Koch discovered the transmission of diseases by bacteria and soon in 1908 Paul Ehrlich discovered the first antibiotics.

The 20th century was a real parade of medical events and research. It is impossible to enumerate all the talented doctors whose investigations and experiments resulted in new treatments and the use of revolutionary medications!

Contemporary pharmacology inherited the ancient knowledge of herbalism and incorporated numerous ideas of the chemistry, but nevertheless, a long list of medicines are still derived from plants. For example atropine used in ophthalmology and gastroenterology, ephedrine effective for individuals with asthma, warfarin used to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots, aspirin we take for a number of reasons, digoxin irreplaceable in cardiology and a number of other essential patients are received from plants. But the technology applied today is brand new! A number of pills reduced their side-effects due to innovative ways of production and what is more, new medicines are designed for full compatibility with a human body!

Today you don’t even have to stand in line in the waiting room to get your prescription. You can easily find a good online pharmacy no rx required and enjoy immaculate support team and swift service! All you have to do is to orders high-quality cheap medications online available. You can chose to buy brand medications or generic drugs. They share the same formula and are equally effective, but the price of any generic medicine is much more lower.

Present-day medicine can be regarded as to an evidence-based science, and unlike it was in ancient healing techniques its major purpose is sharing information and clinical experience. The fact ramains that the ‘best practice’ approaches tend to suppress new ideas of treatment, that is why there many systematic medical reviews available.

Up-to-date medicine is first of all the practice where doctors face patients to examine, diagnose and treat them. So, as you guess the famous TV diagnostic genius Gregory House is not a mainstream practitioner at all! When you visit a medical man the standard procedure is like that:
- it starts with studying the patient’s medical history; then follows a detailed medical interview and a careful physical examination. If necessary the examination is followed by medical tests - blood test, urine test, smear, biopsy etc. Please, remember, it is very essential for the doctor to know every truthful detail and symptom - otherwise normal diagnosing is impossible! Forget about being shy or squeamish when you visit your practitioner - tell him or her everything that you find unusual and alarming - that might be helpful. The medical appointment is documented in the special medical record and your personal medical history, which is a legal document.

The process of medical handling depends on the case. You get a sick leave if the issue is simple and take the medications prescribed by your doctor. Serious cases may take weeks and several specialists to manage and the patient is likely to be hospitalized.

Medicine today is a part of health care system of each powerful country. It is essential to ensure that every patient has access to medical care irrespective of the personality’s ability to pay for the service. That is why it is so important to establish state-owned and charitable hospitals and clinics.

The medical personnel consist not only of MDs. Well-trained nurses, paramedics and emergency medical technicians help their humans go the whole way through his or her case and get well as soon as possible. We cannot live without the service of radiographers, dietitians, surgeons, dentists, anaesthetists etc as well. The quality of national health service (NHS) depends exceptionally on the knowledge and practical skills of all these individuals. That is exactly why medical specialty in universities should meet the highest standards of education achievable! What is more, in all Western European countries, USA and other countries of the world a medical doctor must be licensed or registered before he or she can start medical practice. If the practitioner fails to use all his or her possibilities to help the patient, if he or she is careless or intentionally harmful, this doc can be charged of medical malpractice. You can find many cases when physicians were subjects to professional, civil or criminal sanctions. Fortunately, cases like that are seldom and as a rule individuals choose to be doctors because it is their calling! Who else but a willing creature agrees to deal with ill and unbearable patients for all the professional life!