Natural Alternative Medicine

Natural Alternative Medicine

Alternative Medicine Overview:

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in alternative medicine in this country.  People are now seeking out treatments beyond those offered by their traditional, allopathic doctors.  While complementary medicine combines alternative treatments with the traditional Western options offered by most doctors, alternative medicine relies solely on non-conventional options.  Some alternatives treatments are natural, but this is not always the case; they may also rely on medicine of some sort, but of a type that is not utilized by traditional doctors.  There are countless varieties of non-traditional medicine, not easily summarized, but they can be separated into a few basic categories.

Most Common Types:

The alternative medicine which is most widely incorporated into traditional treatments is manipulative, or body-based.  This incorporates a wide variety of treatments, all of which involve adjustments to the structure of the body to promote general well-being as well as heal basic symptoms.  Included among these alternative treatments are chiropractic, massage, reflexology, and osteopathic medicine.  At the other end of the spectrum of alternative treatments are varieties of mind-body medicine, which deal with the connection between thought and physical health.  Examples of these types of medicine are yoga, tai chi, meditation, and biofeedback.

Alternative "Medical Systems":

There is another whole group of alternative medicine types which are not easily combined with allopathic medicine.  These are medical systems which have developed entirely separately from Western medicine and are often so philosophically different as to be incompatible.  These include traditional Chinese medicine, naturopathy, homeopathy, and Ayurvedic medicine.  Included within these approaches are a number of varieties of energy medicine, which maintain that illness results from a disruption in the body's energy field.  Energy medicine includes long-standing approaches such as acupuncture, homeopathy, and qi gong, as well as more recent types of treatment such as reiki and healing touch.

Biological Alternative Medicine:

Biologically-based forms of alternative medicine are become more commonly integrated into traditional treatments.  These methods employ substances found in nature for their treatment, rather than man-made medicines.  Any form of treatment involving herbal remedies, vitamins and other dietary supplements, orthomolecular medicine, medical use of marijuana, or other natural remedies would fall into this category of alternative medicine.

MORE POPULAR FORMS OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE TREATMENTS:

Acupunture:

Acupuncture is based on the Chinese principle that chi or energy is flowing through your body. Illness or pain is caused by an imbalance of this energy. Acupuncture tries to balance the energy by using tiny pins or needles. Heat and pressure can also used. Balancing the energy in the body will reduce pain.

Energy Based:

Energy is found everywhere. It sustains life and flows freely through space. These are the beliefs behind healing touch. If this energy flows in an unbalanced way throughout the body, the body will be in pain. The energy is balanced using the hands. The hands will not touch the body of the person being treated but will move several inches above the body. Healing touch is very effective in controlling stress and anxiety.

Homeotherapy:

Homeotherapy is a form of Alternative Medicine that is based on the belief that the body can heal itself. Illness is the bodies attempt to heal itself and people can help that process by putting natural substances into their body. It's a safe form of treatment that uses plant or minerals to heal illnesses such as irritable bowl syndrome or arthritis.

Aromatherapy:

A very popular form of Alternative Medicine is aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is breathing in fragrances or oils from plants to treat disease and illness. The oils are sprayed into the air, put on the skin or but into bath water. The aroma will fill the air. When breathed into the body, the body will react by lowering blood pressure and pulse rate. It is a great way to lower anxiety and stress.

Music Therapy:

Music therapy is also a great way to lower stress. The heart rate in people rises and falls to the beat of music. To lower stress, a person would listen to music with a slow beat. If they were looking to get pumped up or excited, they would listen to music with a faster beat. Music therapy is effective when treating forgetfulness, pain and helps improve speech.

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