Finding Alternative Healers
Posted on March 21, 2008
Filed Under Finding Professionals |
You don’t have to be a hippie to want to seek out alternative medicines. There are a many different alternative healing practices and practitioners to choose from, so how do you choose the right one and type of alternative medicine for you? Well, here is a guide to some of the more popular alternative medicines likely available in your area, as well as guide to how to find the right alternative practitioner for your first foray into holistic medicine.
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine that is based on the assumption that an afflicted person can be treated using a substance that will give the effects of the illness in healthy person. They use “serial dilutions,” which require shaking after each dilution, as treatment. Shaking the substance after each dilution (water, sugar, or alcohol) removes the toxic effect, while retaining the healing qualities. This is believed to be similar to receiving a vaccine.
Naturopathic medicine, also known as Naturopathy is an alternative medical practice that has a foundation in the ability of the body to heal itself. Those who believe in this practice believe that the capacity for self-healing is innate and can be supplemented with manual therapy, hydrotherapy, herbalism, acupuncture, aromatherapy, etc. Depending on the qualifications of the practitioner, these remedies may be used in conjunction with more conventional treatments. However, they prefer natural remedies, for instance relatively unprocessed or whole medications, such as herbs and foods. Practitioners from accredited schools are trained to use diagnostic tests such as imaging and blood tests before deciding upon the full course of treatment.
A popular alternative medicine is Chiropractic, which focuses on diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the effects on the nervous system. The emphasis lies in manual therapy, which consists of spinal adjustment and other joint and soft-tissue manipulation. Chiropractic care primarily suggests manipulation and other manual therapies as a safe and natural alternative to medications and surgery. Chiropractors also commonly use nutrition, exercise, patient education, health promotion and lifestyle counseling as part of their holistic outlook towards preventive health care.
If any these medical alternatives sound right for you, then you should head on over to Holistic.com, where you can find a comprehensive directory of practitioners. You can learn more about your ideal treatment, as well as search for qualified practices in your area.
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