Alternative medicine therapies are pseudoscientific methods that aim to achieve the same results as traditional medicine attempts: reach healing effects to improve the body’s general condition.
Chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture are some of the most popular alternative medicine therapies, and you’ve probably heard about them. Yet, can you tell what they are exactly? Are these treatments trustworthy and safe? In what countries and cultures are these therapies practiced? What other alternative therapies are there? What can they solve/heal?
All these matters are part of this article’s content map and will be covered below.
What Are Alternative Medicine Therapies? Are They Safe?
Often, our instinctive reaction, when faced with terms like “pseudoscientific” or “alternative method”, is to doubt. It’s a normal attitude due to the meaning these words bear with them.
But, when it comes to medicine, we have to take a step back and open our minds: medical treatments have been practiced for thousands of years, and it has just been a couple of hundreds of years since we started to look at medicine with a scientific perspective.
Herbalism, the chakra theory, meditation, and so much more: these subjects are complex to be addressed thoroughly in an empirical method; yet, it is undeniable they bring beneficial effects to the body.
Furthermore, being pseudoscientific does not mean there are no studies and tests concerning the efficacy of these methods.
In fact, the result is quite the opposite: due to the lack of possible methods to prove the effectiveness of these treatments scientifically, professionals in these fields need to do a lot of research and tests to be able to raise a debate over it and then attempt to make it recognized by national and international health organizations.
Therefore, whenever you hear about an alternative medicine therapy, the best you can do is look to get informed over the topic, and search for a qualified expert to advise you whether trying these treatments.
Alternative Medicine Therapies To Improve Your Health
We will mention here only popular and world-spread therapy, recognized by both the community and health organizations.
Massages
Massage treatment is by far the most popular form of alternative medicine in the world. No wonder since there is evidence of massage practices in even pre-Christian societies.
Basically, the concept of massage is to manipulate the body tissues by applying pressure in different ways and spots of musculature. The most common benefits most forms of massage generate are stress reduction and pain relief. However, each technique might help with different symptoms and conditions.
There are numerous popular massage modalities out there:
- Acupressure
- Reiki
- Shiatsu
- Watsu
- Myofascial Release
- Erotic Massages
- Swedish Massage
In the United States, only licensed massage therapists can act in accordance with the law. That means you can require a document from your therapist at any time and feel safe.
Acupuncture
An ancient Chinese practice, acupuncture has some variations and derivations from its original technique. The concept is to perform minor and minimally invasive injuries to the body, usually by using needles, to stimulate certain body spots. Then, the body reacts and releases substances to relieve stress and boost immunity.
In the classical theory of acupuncture, needles can be used to activate qi (ki) points and release energy throughout the body, revitalizing and strengthening tissues. Any part of your body might contain a qi spot.
Some of the benefits acupuncture can bring are: relieve yourself from eye strains, reduce chronic back pain, headaches, and migraines. Since it’s been proving really effective and minimally hurtful – some even say it’s a pleasant sensation – it’s already reached the status of being a very popular treatment worldwide.
The topic is approached academically, and to perform the role of an acupuncturist professionally, the expert needs to obtain a master’s degree in acupuncture or Chinese Medicine.
Aromatherapy
Essential oil therapies, BKA aromatherapy, use natural plant extracts to improve the general health condition.
It is also an ancient therapy, and it was practiced in the East historically as well. It is still a popular alternative medicine therapy, which can even bring psychological benefits.
The smell and the skin absorption capacity are two crucial agents for this method since most ways to perform it are through essential oils inhaling.
Aromatherapy can help with conditions like sleep disorders (improve sleep quality), anxiety, stress reduction, pain management, and even produce beneficial effects on the digestive tract.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic is the most academically accepted alternative medicine therapy among all the mentioned techniques, being even recognized by the WHO. Its benefits to body health are numerous and the sessions do not involve any invasive process.
In short, the treatment consists of performing spinal alignment to restore joint function and support the nervous system. In addition, a licensed chiropractor is able to provide soft-tissue therapies and nutritional advice, which are two urgently relevant matters to treat; a complete set of information and therapies to boost your health condition drastically.
There are some conditions that chiropractic care can totally heal, and some it can only help reduce symptoms:
- Low back pain
- Neck Pain
- Headaches and Migraines
- Stress
- Joint pain
- Muscle rigidity
- Lack of interest or energy
These are the just some of the benefits of chiropractic care. Thus, if you want to learn more about the topic, check all the benefits chiropractic can offer.
Finally, check what else BCWNYC can offer to your health and wellness.
