If you were to have a holistic/alternative therapy, which one would you be inclined to try & why?

Question

It's interesting to see how many people poo-poo it all - I can't speak for all complimentary therapies, but for some, I know that they do work - I wonder if the people who think it's all hoo-ha have ever had treatments & experienced it first hand or not?

Answer 1

I think I figured it out!

Kalos doesn't know what palpation is since he never went to medical school and thus wasn't exposed to it.
Since he never actually learned medicine, he didn't learn about palpation, and as a result thinks its impossible to use your hands sensitivity to detect anything inside a patients body!

Answer 2

skep-doc 'to what extent have you investigated chiropractic?

Spine..peer reviewed journal has data the would conflict with your conclusions.

ACHR guideline recommend chiropractic (federal agency)for low back pain

It appears that your MD degree came with blinders (no rant). I know your professors did not tolerate questioning their pronouncements when you were in school, but as a physician, it would seem to be your obligation to look in an unbiased fashion at all data...not just that which supports preconceived notions.

Naturopathy has made recommendations for years that are effective. The Ohio State University has published papers, the researcher is M. Giusti. She concluded that blue corn slows (not cures) the growth of human cancer cells.

black carrots slows the growth of colon cancer cells by 80%
black raspberry reduces growth of esophageal and colon cancer cells. Is this not "alternative" to chemo and radiation
that seems in many cases to do more harm than.

Ir would appear to me that Naturopathy practioners were on to anthocyanins found in these foods a long time before "mainstream" medicine.

Answer 3

Nutritional supplements seem to be the only alternative medicine that actually has scientific merit. For example, antioxidants, Omega 3 essential fatty acids, and other anti-inflammatories and probiotics seem to have lots of potential medical uses for autoimmune diseases. However, unlike other alt. therapies, there is SCIENTIFIC evidence to back these claims up.

Chiropractic work *may* be helpful for joint and back pain. That I don't dispute. But when they say they can cure cancer by realigning your neck, or charging you for un-needed x-rays that are normally covered by your healthcare plan, it's a scam.

Massage Therapy may or may not be worth the money, but these people are trained and useful for sports injuries and the like. Plus, anything that can reduce stress is therapeutic. If acupuncture can reduce stress and speed healing (placebo effect or not), then I support it.

Some herbs DO have health benefits. I place these with nutritional supplements. The problem is that herbs are often advertised to treat conditions that they cannot, and they are not properly regulated. Herbs could be used for minor things like colds, etc. but it is dangerous for people to forgo standard medical care for serious diseases in favour of herbs.

Overall, the only alt. therapy I truly believe in is nutritional supplements to maintain health, or *in addition* to complement western healthcare.

Answer 4

Well, I already use chiropractic, which has saved me a lot of pain and also back surgery. I have also tried acupuncture, which was helpful. What I'd really like to do on a regular basis is reflexology (a special kind of foot massage) as I know it works (had once many years ago) and my feet are starting to hurt all the time! It also helps certain parts of your body that relate to certain areas on the foot.

I'm very convinced that alternative therapies work, and encourage you to try them!

Answer 5

kalos o, you really do have a problem with holistic/alternative therapy don't you!. You babble on about them being no good but have not got any evidence to support it. Have you ever received holistic therapy? no i didn't think so. So please go out and get some FACTS!!! and then return.

Answer 6

I would like to do Transcendental Meditation, Yoga and Gurnu Therapy.

Answer 7

There are one or 2 useful herbal and aromatherapy options that do seem useful. For example there is evidence that St. John's wart has antidepressant properties and lavender oil is certainly sedative.

Homeopathy is just pouring a pint of beer in reservoir and then hoping to get drunk on the water. The most recent scientific study of acupuncture certainly demonstrates that it has a massive placebo effect, but clearly shows that positioning of needles has no effect at all!

Answer 8

Once they called relaxation & meditation techniques mumbo jumbo-but now these techniques are used by doctors in hospitals. I am all for scientific research to validate alternative therapy (or not),but can we trust these studies,often backed by drug companies,who dont want patients to use anything but their products.
The best alternative therapy I have tried is ozone/oxygen therapy.

Answer 9

Reflexology is absolutely wonderful. I was going through a very bad time emotionally once and after I had reflexology I slept like a baby and felt calmer for a couple of days.

I'd like to try acupuncture now because I am told it could help with my catarrh.

Answer 10

I would try ortho-bionomy. When my daughter was 18 months old, my mother-in-law and I took her in for a session because we thought it might help with her stiff neck (due to her difficult birth). During the session, my daughter was so relaxed she went right to sleep, which is something that rarely happens to her. The ortho-bionomist worked on her for about 30 minutes...and when the session was over, my daughter woke up happy, relaxed and smiling! She really enjoyed it.

The stiffness in her neck is much better after several sessions, and I'd like to try it to relieve overall tension.