Women’s Learning Place » Why People Turn To Alternative Medicine

Why People Turn To Alternative Medicine

Posted on January 9th, 2009 by admin

I’ve been a strong advocate of alternative medicines and cures for a number of years now though it wasn’t always so. I became a staunch supporter of alternative cures when my husband was cured.

His problem was that he had a slip-disc problem. Severe neck, shoulder and back pain with the pain radiating to the finger tips and near immobility. We had been through the usual visits to the regular physicians to acclaimed neurologists and spent a small -fortune on x-rays, MRI’s, hospitalization with traction, visits to physio-therapists et al.

All these treatments had some merit, albeit short-term ones. We had come to the end of our tether and were looking for long term to permanent relief for the pain. A slip-disc is generally a lifestyle related problem. It’s usually brought on by stress (work related deadlines and targets which have to be met) sedentary lifestyle (meaning very little exercise to nil physical activity) etc.

When no permanent solution seemed to be forthcoming, we were ready to try alternative methods suggested by a friend who was a very enthusiastic proponent of acupuncture.

And the results were very encouraging. He’s almost completely cured now and if he has a twinge of pain every now and then, he has some hand, neck and finger exercises which give him immense and almost instant relief. And at a fraction of the cost.

This is not to belittle the efforts or achievements of modern doctors (a number of them whom are my friends) in their respective fields in any way at all. I have the utmost respect for their dedication and devotion towards those in their care.

An increasing number of people are looking at alternative methods of treatment as they feel it offers them preventive medicine as opposed to just treating the disease which is what modern medicine does. Others are looking at it as it’s cheaper. Still others are looking at alternative cures as they are able to reduce the dosage of strong pain-killers or lessen their dependence on the drugs. For some, it is because they feel that the earth which we all depend on to sustain our lives also provides us with everything we need to heal ourselves.

There are a number of alternative medicines/cures which one can turn to. But it is always advisable to get in touch with doctors for emergency situations like accidents, heart-attacks, internal bleeding etc.

In fact, you can choose from an array of alternatives.

To start with you have the traditional Chinese medicines which have its origin in China from thousands of years ago.

This system believes that illness results from an improper flow of the life force through the body. Q or energy is restored by balancing the opposing factors of yin and yang which is present in the body as heat and cold, external and internal and deficiency and excess.

This system uses a number of practices like herbal remedies, massage, meditation and acupuncture.

Then you have Ayurveda which has its origins in India. It is said to be almost 4000 years old. Ayurveda believes that a body becomes ill due to the imbalances of the body’s life force or prana.

The balancing of this life force is determined by the equilibrium of the three bodily qualities called the doshas – vata, (air and ether), pita (fire and water) and kapha (water and earth).

Homeopathy originated in Germany in the late 1700’s and the system believes that “like cures like”. To elucidate, a substance that in large doses causes illness is believed to cure the same illness if given in small, minute doses.

Homeopathy medicines are derived from plant extracts and minerals. They are supposed to stimulate the body’s inherent ability to heal.

Naturopathy is a wholly natural way of treatment. It emphasizes prevention and treatment of ailments through lifestyle changes. The system believes in the adage “Prevention is better than cure”.

Acupuncture uses very fine, small needles to stimulate specific spots on the body to ease symptoms. Acupuncture believes in working to balance the body’s qi or energy. It believes that applying a needle to the affected area causes relaxation by releasing pain reducing chemicals called endorphins.

Research shows that doctors themselves sometimes recommend acupuncture to patients who have undergone surgery, to reduce the pain medication and to deal with nausea on account of chemotherapy etc. It also aids fertility problems and assists weight loss. Acupuncture can help weight loss by cutting down on patients sugar cravings and help stimulate the metabolic system.

Hypnotherapy helps one attain a relaxed state of mind through the power of suggestion. In hypnosis, for e.g. the practitioner lulls the patient’s brain into thinking he has less pain when it is much more acute. A person who’s suffering from migraine may be lulled into a state of thinking he or she has less pain or that the pain has lessened considerably.

Yoga is a form of exercise technique which uses deep breathing and specific body postures to help relax the body and mind. It helps the body be more flexible and fit and eases anxiety related disorders.

Meditation is a form of mind-body technique which works on the nervous system. Meditation is a form of breathing exercise where you focus on your own breathing, a word or object or anything which you like or appreciate. It could be anything like a sunrise or chanting of the word “Om” or focusing on a white light, with eyes closed.

It cleanses and frees the mind of anxieties and worries and helps you relax. Meditation helps reduce tension and thereby reduces the onset of diseases blood pressure and depression.

Another mind-body technique is the relaxation technique which helps ease the strains and stresses of diseases like blood pressure, muscle strain and concentrates on altering brain activity.

Guided imagery which involves the use of mental images to help relax and ease stress, is related to specific ailments like cancer or severe mental trauma.

Then there are the body based therapies like the massage therapy and chiropractic. Chiropractic is a system of complementary medicine based on the manipulation of the joints especially those of the spinal column.

Massage therapy is the manipulation of the body tissues to promote a feeling of well-being and reduces pain and stress. It involves massaging, stroking and kneading and applying pressure to specific points on the body. A note of caution, though. Never go in for a massage if suffering from infectious skin diseases, open wounds, burns etc.

Reflexology is the system whereby pressure is applied to a specific area of the foot and is believed to correspond to different organs or systems of the body. Stimulation of these areas is believed to eliminate the blockage of energy.

Energy therapies like Reiki are very popular with a large number of people. It’s a technique where the practitioner channels energy through the hands onto the patient’s body to promote healing.

Nutritional supplements like herbs, vitamins and minerals help make up for deficiencies and lower risk of diseases. For e.g. supplements like omega 3 fatty acids can lower the risk of heart diseases and calcium supplements can help prevent osteoporosis.

As you can see, there’s no dearth of alternative medicines and cures. All you need to do is see what is right for you, for your particular ailment and always go in for any alternative medicine or cure under professional and expert guidance.

To Summarize:

Your aim: To see why people go in for alternative medicines and cures

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