Alternative Health Therapies

Question

This piglix contains a list of Alternative Health Therapies from around the world. Here, the use of the term 'alternative' stands to compare with what is generally regarded as 'conventional medicine' of the western world.

Answer 1

Anthroposophical Medicine 

Anthroposophical medicine is a little-known alternative therapy, found to be effective in killing bad bacteria
See this article...

Answer 2

Acupressure

Acupressure [from Latin acus "needle" (see acuity) + pressure (n.)] is an alternative medicine technique similar in principle to acupuncture. It is based on the concept of life energy which flows through "meridians" in the body. In treatment, physical pressure is applied to acupuncture points with the aim of clearing blockages in these meridians. Pressure may be applied by hand, by elbow, or with various devices.

Answer 3

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine in which thin needles are inserted into the body. It is a key component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Answer 4

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy uses plant materials and aromatic plant oils, including essential oils, and other aroma compounds for improving psychological or physical well-being.

Answer 5

Ayurvedic Medicine

Ayurveda (Sanskrit: , Ä€yurveda, "life-knowledge"; English pronunciation /ËŒaɪ.É™rˈveɪdÉ™/), or Ayurveda medicine, is a system of medicine with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. Globalized and modernized practices derived from Ayurveda traditions are a type of complementary or alternative medicine. In the Western world, Ayurveda therapies and practices (which are manifold) have been integrated in general wellness applications and as well in some cases in medical use.

Answer 6

Balneotherapy

Balneotherapy (Latin: balneum "bath") is the treatment of disease by bathing, usually practiced at spas. While it is considered distinct from hydrotherapy, there are some overlaps in practice and in underlying principles. Balneotherapy may involve hot or cold water, massage through moving water, relaxation, or stimulation. Many mineral waters at spas are rich in particular minerals such as silica, sulfur, selenium, and radium. Medicinal clays are also widely used, which practice is known as 'fangotherapy'.

"Balneotherapy" is the practice of immersing a subject in mineral water or mineral-laden mud; it is part of the traditional medicine of many cultures and originated in hot springs, cold springs, or other sources of such water like the Dead Sea.

Balneotherapy may be recommended for wide range of illnesses, including arthritis, skin conditions and fibromyalgia. As with any medical treatment, balneotherapy should be discussed with a physician before beginning treatment, since a number of conditions, like heart disease and pregnancy, can result in a serious adverse effect.

Answer 7

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is the process of gaining greater awareness of many physiological functions primarily using instruments that provide information on the activity of those same systems, with a goal of being able to manipulate them at will. Some of the processes that can be controlled include brainwaves, muscle tone, skin conductance, heart rate and pain perception.

Biofeedback may be used to improve health, performance, and the physiological changes that often occur in conjunction with changes to thoughts, emotions, and behavior. Eventually, these changes may be maintained without the use of extra equipment, for no equipment is necessarily required to practice biofeedback.

Biofeedback has been found to be effective for the treatment of headaches and migraines.

Three professional biofeedback organizations, the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback(AAPB), Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), and the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR), arrived at a consensus definition of biofeedback in 2008:

Answer 8

Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of unverified mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine. Proponents believe that such disorders affect general health via the nervous system.

Answer 9

Homoeopathy

Homoeopathy is a system of alternative medicine created in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann, based on his doctrine of like cures like (similia similibus curentur), a claim that a substance that causes the symptoms of a disease in healthy people would cure similar symptoms in sick people.

Answer 10

Naturopathy

Naturopathy or naturopathic medicine is a form of alternative medicine employing a wide array of pseudoscientific practices branded as "natural" and as promoting "self-healing,"