Broadly speaking, alternative medicine is any form of healing that doesn’t fall within the bounds of conventional medicine. Why would someone be interested in seeking the services of a holistic healer? First of all, there are many different diseases and disorders that modern medicine cannot help. There have been drugs developed that can waylay the symptoms, and hopefully prolong the life and comfort of the individual, but that is the extent of their effectiveness. Cancer, AIDS, chronic pain, osteoporosis, depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and the like are all conditions that our current medical science often doesn’t help.
Currently, there are many different kinds of alternative medicine that a holistic healer may incorporate into their treatments. In the West, natural medicine has fallen out of practice, while it once was fairly common. In recent years it has shown resurgence however. The East is where alternative therapies have existed for centuries, and have been used among the general populace with great success. Some alternative therapies revolve around natural herbal remedies, while other remedies involve the use of techniques such as meditation.
Western countries are becoming increasingly accepting of alternative medicine. In a survey that was taken in 2005, it was shown that more than a quarter of US hospitals offered alternative healing therapies such as acupuncture, biofeedback, and massage. As a whole, alternative therapies can be divided into the following: biologically based practices, manipulative and body-based therapies, mind-body interventions, and energy therapies. A holistic healer may use one or a combination of any of these techniques in order to help other people overcome their illnesses and symptoms.
A combination of these holistic techniques is known as an alternative healing system. For an example, a healer that uses traditional Chinese therapies may make use of acupuncture, herbal remedies, and Qigong, a traditional Chinese form of energy therapy. Mind-body therapies such as meditation and yoga make the perfect complement to these therapies.
When it comes to the scientific studies that corroborate these alternative healing techniques, some alternative therapies have been supported while others have not. Many times these studies may show that a therapy, such as acupuncture, is effective, but researchers are not certain as to why. Because of the lack of acceptance in many circles for alternative therapies, they are not usually reimbursed by insurance companies. Because these services must be paid out of pocket, many people do not have access to them.
These treatments do not work for everyone, and not everyone will have the same results. Some treatments will be very effective for certain ailments and others will not. So the predictability of how these therapies will affect you cannot be certain until you try them. Most herbal remedies that are sold over the counter are safe, but be sure to contact your doctor to see if there are any potential problems before trying them. Finding a good technique and practitioner can be difficult, so make sure that the person you choose has a fair amount of positive references.