Complementary Care Vs. Alternative Care
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there is a defined difference between the two terms, even though they may be used interchangeably by the layperson:
Complementary Care: This term refers to medical practices outside of mainstream medicine that are used in conjunction with conventional medicine
Alternative Care: This term refers to treatment options outside of conventional medicine that are used in place of traditional treatment methods.
Whether you’re considering adding complementary treatment to your current medical care or if you’re looking at alternatives to your doctor’s recommended treatment options, here are five of the most popular, and best reputed, non-traditional medical treatment options you may want to explore with your doctor.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has roots that trace back 2,000 years (although some claim that this practice actually has been around for 4,000 years) to China. This practice is based on the concept that ch’i, or the body’s energy force, flows throughout the body. When your ch’i is blocked, illness and medical conditions result. Acupuncturists use small, sterile needles that are inserted into the skin at various points, depending on the ailment, to unblock this ch’i. In some cases, lasers or magnetic devices are used.
This treatment has proven effective in treating conditions such as chronic pain, drug addiction, chronic anxiety, and bipolar disorders. It has also been shown to ease nausea and vomiting after surgical procedures or as a result of chemotherapy.
People who suffer from chronic back pain, migraines and tension headaches, fibromyalgia, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other forms of chronic pain, may want to discuss the potential benefits of acupuncture with their healthcare providers, or meet with a reputable acupuncturist to discuss treatment options.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a form of medicine where practitioners use their hands and special tools to diagnose and adjust misalignments in the joints - especially those in the spinal column, which may help treat a variety of conditions by affecting the nerves and muscles. According to the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, this treatment method focuses on the relationship of the body’s skeleton, muscles, nerves, and organs, and how they affect patient health.
This form of medicine is effective in treating back pain, neck pain, and joint problems. It has also been shown to relieve pain in the extremities, including the legs, knees, feet, shoulders, wrists, elbows, and arms. It may also help provide relief from migraines and other headaches, bursitis, arthritis, and pain from chronic injuries.
Massage/Bodywork
The term bodywork refers to the wide range of therapeutic practices that involve massaging, manipulating, or moving the muscles to provide therapeutic treatment. Among the practices in this field that are most popular:
● Massage: There are many styles of massage, which include Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone, trigger point therapy, sports massage, reflexology, and others. These treatments have been shown to ease chronic pain, relieve stress, promote relaxation, manage headaches, or address body pains that relate to sports or hobbies, such as knee or shoulder pain.
● Acupressure: This form of bodywork is similar to acupuncture, but involves applying pressure, instead of inserting needles, into specific body sites. This treatment has been shown to have success treating back pain and some other chronic pain disorders.
● The Feldenkrais Method: This form of bodywork focuses on rebuilding the body’s sensory and movement systems through “unlearning” poor patterns. This method has been popular with children who have neurological disorders, providing them with a gentle therapy option that has been shown to improve gross motor, fine motor, and sensory improvements.
● Craniosacral Therapy: This therapy focuses on manipulating the plates of the skull and the “cranial tides” in the body. It has shown success in easing symptoms for children with neurological problems, as well as providing relief from headaches and TMJ, as well as helping to ease back and neck pain. This form of therapy is practiced by people in a range of professions, including physical therapists. There have even been some accounts of the use of this therapy in treating some types of mental illness.
Homeopathy
Homeopathic treatment focuses on treating medical conditions by providing a patient with minute doses of substances that would produce disease symptoms in a healthy patient, as a way to kickstart the immune system to deal with the illness. This alternative practice is considered to be mainstream in the United Kingdom, although in the United States, these practitioners aren’t usually licensed to practice methods. There are some homeopaths who are fully licensed physicians.
This treatment method has been used to varying levels of success for treating a range of chronic conditions, including allergies, dermatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and irritable bowel syndrome, according to WebMD.
While many physicians believe that these remedies contain too small an amount to have a real effect on the body, they may have a placebo effect in patients who seek out this therapy.
Yoga
For many, the term yoga elicits thoughts of exercise, flexibility, and meditation - where practitioners use specific poses and breathing exercises to stretch the body and find inner peace.
In fact, yoga has a focus on the body’s general well-being, and has been shown to be incredibly successful in symptom management and treatment for a range of illnesses, even when studies have tested practitioners who have only undergone a few training sessions.
Yoga has been shown to improve mental performance, boost mood and ease the symptoms of depression and chronic stress and anxiety. It may even guard against dementia. It has also been shown to be an effective treatment for a range of physical conditions, including pain management, and symptom management for asthma and other respiratory conditions, like chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
If you're dealing with health issues, sometimes it doesn't hurt to think outside the box. You may want to consider giving one of these alternative treatments a try.