Science and medicine has evolved rapidly throughout the last couple of centuries. As a result, people expect all of their ills to be cured. One part of this evolution is that people are looking in many directions for treatments and therapies. Many of these therapies have been a part of Eastern medicine for centuries. Most people call these therapies Alternative Medicine. {Some of the therapies are acupuncture, cupping, reflexology, massage and healing touch are some of the treatments used. Acupuncture is based on the belief rely on the idea that the body has fields of energy known as chi or qi and that illness and pain occur when these fields are disrupted. The acupuncturist slips extremely thin needles into acupuncture points all over the body. In Dallas acupuncture is a popular therapy. A Dallas acupuncturist is available to help you with pain management.

Another ancient therapy that is coming into public consciousness is known as cupping. As with acupuncture, the purpose of cupping is to bring the chi back into alignment. This treatment utilizes small round glass cups and heat. The The practitioner heats the cups and places them on the back of the patient. The placement is based on the meridians of the flow of energy. As the air in the cups cools, it contracts, causing a small vacuum. The back skin is pulled into the cups with a vacuum. This process draws extra blood into the area and releases toxins.

Reflexology is another well-liked treatment. This therapy is a form of massage on the sole of the foot. It is based on the belief that the nerves on the sole of the foot (and also the hand) are linked to every part of the body. Reflexology charts show the relationship between the bottom of the foot to the various parts of the body. I have even seen charts that have a drawing of a little person. When the reflexologist provides a treatment, he or she talks with the client to discover which body parts are ailing. Then the therapist applies pressure to the various points on the sole that correspond to these areas of the body. The effectiveness of this therapy is based mainly on anecdotal evidence. However, scientific study has shown that reflexology is an effective treatment for premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Another interesting but controversial therapy is healing touch. As with the other alternative treatments, healing touch involves the energy fields of the body. It is similar to massage except that, instead of using pressure on the muscles to loosen and unknot them, healing touch makes use of a gentle touch to balance the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of the patient. It works with the chi to assist the natural healing processes. A brochure for a healing touch class for nurses told the potential students that they would learn to fluff the patient while they fluffed the pillow.

These alternative therapies are becoming popular because they are inexpensive and noninvasive. However, the strong caution is that they supplement traditional medical practices; they do not replace medical treatment.

Share This