complementary medicine

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Alternative medicine means different things to different people. Alternative medicine encompasses many different approaches from massage to Chinese medicine and yoga. Alternative medicine means practices or medicines that are used instead of the usual
or standard
ways of treating diseases or illness. Examples of complementary and alternative medicine are meditation
yoga
and dietary supplements like vitamins and herbs. Alternative medicine means that it is different to the dominant health care system and potentially can replace it.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is the oldest continuously practiced medical system in the world and is used by one third of the world's population as a primary health care system. Health is defined as a state of physical well being
mental alertness
socially adjusted
and spiritually developed. Health care is not about drugs and the cost of drugs.


CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE

Conventional medicine is continuing to lose market share. More and more people want options beyond what many consider to be essentially a high-tech slash
burn and poison medicine. Conventional medicine is used to describe the services that treat the symptoms of a disease or illness with prescribed medications and surgeries. Conventional medicine treats the ailing part of the body but may not address the underlying causes of the illness or disease.

Traditional practitioners don't express hopefulness when their medicine fails as they treat diseases first and then people secondly. On the other hand alternative practitioners
often encourage patients to be hopeful even when the situation is hopeless as they aim to treat the mind
body and soul of their patient.

Medicine is directly related to the biomedicine and health sciences. The term 'Medicine' today refers to the fields of surgery
clinical medicine and the medical research. Medical mistakes appear to be increasing
and if they are not
then at the very least
the publicizing of them is increasing. It makes people wary.

HERBAL

Herbal medicine is a booming industry in the United States. The American market for herbal remedies has doubled the last couple of years. Herbs may be harmful if taken for the wrong conditions
used in excessive amounts
combined with prescription drugs or alcohol
or used by persons who don't know what they are doing. Just because an herbal remedy is natural
does not mean it is safe!

ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture needles are usually inserted to a depth of about a quarter of an inch into the skin. The therapist gently twists or twirls them for up to 10 minutes
leaving them in five to 20 minutes longer; or stimulates them with a weak electrical current; or heats them with a burning herb such as mugwort (see moxibustion). Acupuncture was used as an illustration of medical irrationality before James Reston's fortuitous appendicitis brought it to the United States. From the impact of the LaLeche League on the advisability of breast-feeding to current studies of botanical medicines such as ginger
echinacea and ginkgo biloba
folk and alternative medicines have continuously influenced medical research and practice.

Do you suffer with one of the many health problems out there? Are you getting fed up with the traditional forms of health treatment? Are you looking into the different forms of alternative health therapy that are available? If you have answered yes to any of these questions
this article may be of interest to you. In the article
I am going to write about some of these alternative therapy treatments which I
my family and friends have tried in the past. I hope you enjoy the read.

My wife has had many problems with her own health and also suffers from regular bouts of depression. She is quite a stressful person and at times finds life to be fairly tough. A couple of years ago she decided to find a different approach to ones she had previously tried. The first option she tried was reflexology. She was not entirely sure if she really wanted a stranger messing about with her feet but was more than pleased with the experience on her return. She could not believe how relaxed and chilled out it made her feel.

I have also found myself struggling to cope with the pressures of every day life. I now have turned my hand to meditation. This is not I am sure for everyone but it has certainly helped me to think in a more positive and clearer way. It took me quite a long to meditate in what would be known as the correct way as I originally could not seem to concentrate or relax enough.

My mother prefers to go to a womens wellness centre rather than to the doctors. She has not spoken too much about this to me but it obviously helps her as she has now been going there for years.

Tai chi is a very popular form of alternative therapy for many people. Tai chi is also very good at reducing peoples stress levels and is something I also considered before I took up meditation.

A friend of mine always raves on about yoga and the many health benefits that this has bought her. To me it all seems like a lot of hard work
however she insists that it isn't. In a way these things are like horses for courses. Some people prefer to do one thing and others prefer to do something entirely different.

My brother who also finds it hard to relax
it must run in my family I suppose
has found hypnotherapy to be very useful. He has been a smoker for many years and two years ago decided it was time to quit. He was very determined
which helps of course but by attending hypnotherapy sessions
also gave him that extra edge. He
from what he tells me has not smoked even one cigarette for the past eighteen months.

These are just a small number of the many alternative health treatments out there. It is worth pointing out that even though they have been successful in helping the above people
they may not work for everyone. In my opinion it is worth giving different things a try as it may just change your life.

Practitioners of the ancient Chinese art of acupuncture rely on the acupuncture points map to free trapped energy in the body and restore health.

You might have spotted this type of chart of the human body on the wall of your holistic doctor’s office or during a visit to a natural health store. It depicts numerous points on the body where the body’s energy
also known as qi
often accumulates. In fact
there are over 2
0
points that conduct energy throughout the body!

Because of their direct connection to the flow of energy in the body
the acupuncture pressure points depicted on the acupuncture points map help to regulate body function
mood
emotional and spiritual well-being. You might find it surprising that acupuncture has been used for over two millennia to help relieve headaches
skin conditions
digestive disorders
and asthma. And
that’s just the beginning. Acupuncture has been known to help with depression
phobias
addictions
low self-esteem
eating disorders
and other ailments caused by energy imbalances in the body.

The traditional acupuncture points chart shows fourteen main channels
also known as meridians
which exist in the body – one meridian for each of the twelve organs
one along the spine and another along the abdomen. Acupuncture pressure points are located along these meridians
and some points have more than one function. This means that an acupuncturist might use them to cure more than one type of illness.

For example
there is a commonly-used point on the acupuncture points chart
which is located on the back side of the hand between the thumb and first finger. Acupuncturists use it mainly to relieve pain and to treat constipation or other intestinal disorders. This point
however
is also used to treat illnesses which cause inflammation and fever. Because the large intestine meridian runs from the hand to the face
these symptoms often manifest in the throat and head.

Another point on the acupuncture points map is located at the base of the skull along the gallbladder meridian. This is a valuable point to know around cold and flu season
because it helps treat these annoying illnesses. It also helps relieve headaches
neck pain
and fever. Additionally
it may also lower blood pressure and relax tension in the region around the eyes. There are a multitude of points that may hold the key to better health for you.

How does an acupuncturist use these points on an acupuncture points map? He or she utilizes small needles and places them at the specific point on the patient’s body to help relieve illnesses caused by disrupted energy flow. By manipulating the flow of qi at these points
the two forms of energy in the body
yin and yang
are brought into proper alignment. It may require several visits to your acupuncturist to bring your body’s energy into harmony.

Encouraging the proper flow of life energy at specific acupuncture pressure points will help bring your body into physical and emotional harmony
in addition to proper diet
exercise
and healthy lifestyle choices. Visit a licensed acupuncturist who has studied the acupuncture points map in detail to ensure a beneficial session.

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