Alternative Medical Treatments Blog » Alternative

Meditating On Alternative Therapy

Andrew — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:44:40 +0000

The list of alternative therapies that are not readily or legitimately recognized by the medical community is long. Most members of traditional medical organizations like the American Medical Association would never recommend treatments like herbal therapy, homeopathy, or acupuncture to their patients. But what is surprising is that in recent years more and more traditional medical practitioners have pushed their patients to practice meditation.

Meditation is recommended to a very wide variety of patients suffering from any number of symptoms and illnesses. For example, patients with chronic pain from severe illnesses like cancer or arthritis often will practice meditation to alter the brain’s perception of pain. Patients with emotional disorders, like Generalized Anxiety Disorder, are often prescribed meditation as a way to calm the mind during severe anxiety attacks. Other benefits of meditation are heightened self-awareness and observation as well as relaxation and concentration.

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Let the Sunshine in

Andrew — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:34:09 +0000

The number of diagnosed and treated cases of depression and seasonal affective disorder has grown over the last few years. This has, of course, brought about the development of new treatments for all types of depression. One of the newer alternative depression treatments is light therapy. The use of “light boxes”, which provide 10,000 lux of artificial light, not only has been proven to help persons with Seasonal Affective Disorder, but recently they have been shown to help all types of depression.

Though these light boxes do not cause any skin damage the way other types of light therapies � like ultraviolet light therapies � do, there has still been research into other types of light therapy for depression. The use of blue light to treat depression is just as effective as the use of light boxes for younger patients; however, it is not effective in older patients.

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Theories on Light Therapy Safety

Andrew — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:43:21 +0000

Light therapy uses ultraviolet and other types of light to treat a wide range of illnesses and medical and emotional problems. Almost anything from skin problems to emotional distress and depression can be at least helped by light therapy. But as with most medical and alternative therapies, there are some disadvantages to light therapy.

It is widely known and acknowledged by the medical community that ultraviolet light is damaging to the skin. It breaks down vitamins A and C in the skin, and can damage the skin’s collagen. Some genetic damage has also been seen with extended exposure to UV. Blue light is also used in some light therapy; unfortunately, blue light can cause breaks in cellular DNA. While the cells can usually repair themselves, research has shown that cancer can easily develop in damaged cells like those injured by blue light exposure.

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An Alternative to Traditional Health Care

Andrew — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:16:08 +0000

In the last few years, there has been an abundant interest in alternative medical therapies and treatments for all sorts of physical and emotional ailments. The burgeoning interest can probably be attributed to the rising costs of traditional medical care and pharmaceuticals normally used to treat these illnesses.

Many people also have another, related problem: they don’t have health insurance. The lack of health insurance can affect a person’s ability to get proper medical treatment for chronic problems. Using alternative medical treatments can not only be cheaper than traditional treatments, but many people feel that these alternative treatments are just as effective, if not more so. For those who do not have medical insurance, alternative treatments may be the only option they have for symptom relief or for a cure for their problems. Also, since mental health isn’t generally covered by insurance, alternative therapies are sometimes the only viable option.

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Aromatherapy: Stinky and Soothing Smells

Andrew — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:53:16 +0000

A lot of people like to use different smells in their homes to cover unpleasant odors. In fact, there is a whole retail industry based on the public’s desire to eliminate nasty smells from their homes. But plug-in air fresheners, potpourri sprays, and scented candles are not necessarily aromatherapy products. The scents are not meant to sooth; rather they are meant to disguise.

Aromatherapy is actually the practice of using plant oils and extracts to bring about a sense of wellbeing in people. Aromatherapy is often used in conjunction with other alternative medicine treatments like massage therapy. There are approximately 90 essential oils commonly used in aromatherapy treatments, and each one has a unique profile and individual purpose. But some essential oils are used together to create an effect that is different than that of the oils when used individually.

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Healing Your Body Naturally: Drug Difficulties

Andrew — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:52:57 +0000

There is a lot that can be said for natural healing and alternative medical therapies. While some therapies don’t have very conclusive research results, the benefits of some of these therapies are often a much better option than resulting to traditional medicine and the prescription drug market.

It is a fact that there are an increasing number of problems resulting from prescription drug abuse, overuse, and misuse. While prescription drug abuse falls on the patient, overuse and misuse falls on the doctor and the drug companies. Many drugs are prescribed for illnesses that will not respond to drug therapy. Other drugs are given in doses that are higher than needed, risking the patient’s overall health. And some physicians prescribe contraindicated drugs to a patient causing serious medical problems. Of course this is not to say that prescription drugs are bad; they should be used for their intended, proven purposes, especially in emergencies.

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Consistency and Reflexology

Andrew — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:23:55 +0000

With most therapies, whether they are traditional medical therapies, physical therapies, alternative therapies, or natural therapies, consistency is key. Keeping up with treatments that help you feel better and lessen or relieve your symptoms is the ideal way to help your body deal with an illness.

Reflexology, like other alternative therapies such as massage therapy, should be done regularly if the patient is to reap long-lasting benefits. In China, reflexology is done six times a week for a period of two weeks; then the patient is reevaluated to see what his or her status is. For home reflexology, it can be as easy as having your partner give you a hand massage every night before bed, or using a foot roller while you watch TV or eat dinner. The best way to boost the efficacy of reflexology is to do it consistently, even if that is only for five or ten minutes every day.

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Why Has Iridology Not Been Approved In the US?

Andrew — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:53:46 +0000

Many proponents of alternative therapy wonder at why some of the available therapies, treatments, and diagnostic practices have not been approved by the United States government for established medical use. While the reasons for the lack of approval vary according to the alternative therapy method in question, in the case of Iridology it is simply a matter of a complete lack of scientific evidence of the efficacy of the method.

There have been several scientific studies of Iridology performed by researchers and the results of each of these studies have been almost identical. The general conclusion is that the effectiveness of iridology as a diagnostic tool is no better than chance. In other words, it is statistically just as likely for a person to guess at a patient’s illness as it is for a trained Iridologist to assess the illness correctly. Because there is no conclusive evidence to prove that Iridology works, the United States government has not approved it as a legitimate diagnostic tool.

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Criticizing Reiki

Andrew — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:24:43 +0000

As with almost all other forms of alternative medicine and natural healing therapies, reiki is subject to come criticism. While there are no known direct negative effects of receiving reiki treatment, some members of the professional medical community fear that recipients of reiki (and other alternative medicine therapies) might forgo conventional methods of treatment in favor of the reiki treatment. While this is certainly a legitimate concern, many reiki practitioners have begun to advise their patients to seek conventional medical help in addition to receiving reiki.

Of course, there is no complete, definitive evidence proving the validity or efficacy of reiki. Most of the benefits reaped from reiki are attributed to mindset and the placebo effect. While this may be true, it is definitely not harmful to the patient. Some of the most disturbing criticism comes from religious circles that deplore reiki as a method of communicating with “Satan” or other occult practices. This should be viewed as subjective as reiki is not directly linked with established religion in any way.

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Essential Oil Blends and Their Use in Aromatherapy

Andrew — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:37:52 +0000

People who seek aromatherapy treatments generally are looking for either a way to organically treat an emotional disturbance, or a way to enhance another alternative medical treatment. While the use of aromatherapy in conjunction with other alternative medicine therapies is generally overseen by the practitioner of the other therapy (i.e. an acupuncturist or a massage therapist), aromatherapy for emotional disturbance is generally applied at home.

This involves the study and correct use of different essential oils in blends that will help the person achieve the desired effect. Some of the most common blends are those used for energy, anxiety, insomnia and stress. Some stores sell pre-made blends for common ailments like these, and if you don’t have a lot of experience in blending oils this might be a good place to start. But for those who are more experienced with oils, blends can be made at home with a basic selection of essential oils.

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