Alternative Types of Medicine
When you are injured or get sick, you’re not limited to seeking out conventional forms of treatment—your family doctor isn’t the only option. In fact, you have a multitude of options. The long history of alternative medicine includes such therapies as acupuncture, aromatherapy, and homeopathy. All of these treatments can have some benefit, whether by relieving disease symptoms, or by improving your general well-being.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Two Different Philosophies
When it comes to treatment, there are two main categories: complementary and alternative. When you use therapies such as acupuncture or homeopathy in addition to conventional medical treatment, the treatments are referred to as being complementary. Alternative medicine, on the other hand, uses acupuncture, homeopathy, and other treatments instead of conventional medical treatment. Whether complementary or alternative, many of these treatments are considered holistic, in that they treat the whole person, rather than simply addressing their symptoms.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture, once considered an alternative therapy, has become fairly mainstream over the last decade or two, so much so that many insurance companies provide coverage for this treatment. Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely fine needles into “pressure points” all over the body, which are chosen depending on symptoms the patient experiences. Acupuncture can relieve pain, stress, inflammation, and other symptoms, and is virtually free from side effects.
Aromatherapy
This therapy uses fragrance to improve well-being, both physical and mental. Pure, plant-based fragrances are mixed with “carrier” oils, which are carefully selected and combined by aromatherapists to provide patients with relief from symptoms such as stress and anxiety, and to improve overall well-being. This type of treatment is sometimes combined with massage therapy, where aromatherapy oils are massaged into the skin.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is based on the principle that “like cures like.” In other words, when you visit a homeopathic physician, they will prescribe for you a remedy that, in a healthy person, would cause the symptoms you are experiencing. Homeopathy can be remarkably effective, but it can take some time for a homeopathic physician to determine exactly the type of remedy you need.
Naturopathy
Naturopathic medicine is a holistic system of medical treatment which focuses on using natural remedies, in conjunction with the body’s own power to heal itself, to promote good physical and emotional health, and overall well-being. Remedies used in naturopathy are often plant-based, and may also involve treatments such as acupuncture, massage, and color therapy.