Different questions
Conventional medicine asks what disease you have and what will treat it. It is unmatched for acute illness, infection, surgery, emergencies and conditions with a clear mechanism and a proven drug. Ayurveda asks why your system has moved out of balance and what in your constitution, diet, routine and environment is driving it. That question is often more useful for chronic fatigue, digestive problems, stress-related symptoms, sleep, skin and the long tail of conditions where tests are normal and medication only manages symptoms.
Different tools
Conventional: diagnosis by tests and imaging, pharmaceuticals, surgery, physiotherapy, psychological therapy. Ayurveda: assessment by history, pulse and observation; individualised diet and daily routine; herbal preparations; oil therapies such as Abhyanga and Shirodhara; cleansing programmes such as Panchakarma; yoga and breathing.
Where they meet
Both value prevention, both recognise that sleep, diet, movement and stress shape health, and both are increasingly interested in the gut and the nervous system. Ayurveda's emphasis on routine and digestion reads today as lifestyle medicine with a longer history.
What Ayurveda is not
It is not a replacement for medical diagnosis or for treatment of serious disease. A responsible Ayurvedic practitioner will send you to a doctor when something needs investigating, and will not ask you to stop prescribed medication.
At Omnia
Our Ayurvedic care in Chiswick is doctor-led, with four Ayurvedic doctors led by the President of the British Ayurvedic Medical Council. Because physiotherapy, acupuncture, blood testing and clinical psychology are in the same clinic, we can coordinate rather than compete.