Options in Alternative Health Practices

There are some alternative therapies that have successfully made the transition into conventional medicine while others still have not crossed over.

For instance many medical doctors will recommend massage therapy or acupuncture as part of the overall treatment plan for their patients.  Let us take a brief look at the options that are available to you.

Acupuncture has been used for healing in China for 1000’s of years. It involves the insertion of needles along the meridian lines of the body in order to open up neural pathways that have become blocked. This therapy can be used for any number of health problems.

Massage therapy is often as soothing and rejuvenating as it is relaxing to the body and mind. It involves the manipulation of the joints and muscles of the human body in order to relieve stress and improve circulation. Many sports medicine clinics advocate this for injury recovery athletes.

Chiropractic therapy involves hands on adjustments made to the spine and the adjoining structures. Manual manipulation can lead to a healthier spine which can in turn lessen the risk that injuries will take place. Doctors of chiropractic can help their patients with back and neck problems, as well as headaches, joint problems such as arthritis, hand and wrist pain as well as problems with the feet.

Meditation is something that one can learn to do on one’s own. It can be used to treat everything from heart conditions to high blood pressure to panic attacks.

Herbs are a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and can be either taken by mouth or rubbed on various areas of the body to treat sicknesses and/or injuries. You have lots to choose from if you decide to give herbal therapy a try.

Hypnosis or hypnotherapy leverages the power of your subconscious mind to overcome  challenges and a skilled and experienced practitioner can help with bad habits, weight loss, confidence, stress and anxiety, phobias, and many other dis-empowering thoughts and barriers to you reaching your goals.

Other types of alternative methods of therapy you may have heard of include Ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, music therapy and pet therapy. There are other lesser known kinds but these are the alternative treatments that are most often talked about and put into practice.

What you choose to try is entirely up to you. It helps to have an open mind and to be able to identify exactly what you are looking to achieve through the treatments method(s) you put to use. The various practitioners of each one of these therapies can explain to you how each therapy works and the purpose of it to the healing process.

You can ask as many questions as you like in order to figure out if it is a treatment that appeals to you and can help you to feel better.  Explore as many therapies and as many practitioners as you need to in order to zero in on what can offer the most benefits to you.

The only risk in trying any of these therapies is that they don’t work for you. In reality many people going through traditional medicine have reached the same point as well.

Samantha

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Chiropractic Services- Selecting the Right Chiropractor

Chiropractic services can be beneficial to you but first you must find the right chiropractor for your needs.

Contrary to what many people believe, chiropractors are primary healthcare professionals who are regulated and they are doctors in the truest sense of the word. Chiropractors are Doctors of Chiropractors (DC) who spend almost as much time studying in their specialized field as do medical doctors. These doctors are required to take four years of undergraduate study before they go onto four to five years of more advanced study.

What Do Chiropractors Do?

Chiropractors are well educated and well trained professionals who are able to assess, diagnose and treat a variety of disorders of the spine, muscles, joints, as well as those that affect the nervous system. In the same way, regular adjustments by a chiropractor can help to prevent problems from getting started.

Some of the disorders that chiropractors regularly see patients for include neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain (lower back pain accounts for 40 percent of chiropractor visits), headaches, as well as problems related to joints and nerves in the arms and legs.

The advent of computers, cell phones and other electronic handheld devices has sparked a renewed interest in the services that chiropractors provide because consistent use of any of these tools of technology can lead to a host of problems of the spine and related areas.

Comfort and Trust are Essential

The important thing when it comes to looking for a chiropractor is to find one who is well trained and also one you feel comfortable communicating with. It is your body after all and it deserves the very best. If you find a chiropractor who comes with glowing credentials and plenty of recommendations but you don’t feel comfortable in his or her presence then this professional relationship between patient and doctor is not going to work out. Keep looking and make no excuses for doing so. You must find the best fit possible when it comes to a chiropractor. Trust between the two of you is implicit and non-negotiable!

Accreditation Matters

Presently there are 15 Colleges of Chiropractic throughout the country that are accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education. This council is a national organized that has been recognized by the Department of Education.

Bear in mind that accreditation is very important! The professional background of a chiropractor should play an integral role in your choice of one. Do not go to any chiropractor who did not attend an accredited school. Accreditation is a stamp of approval given to a school that meets certain standards. Standards matter!

Licensing of a Chiropractor

Chiropractors need to be licensed in order to offer their services to patients. In fact all 50 states require that chiropractors be licensed. This is because the work that chiropractors engage in is regulated by state licensing boards. These boards only grant licenses to chiropractors who meet the educational requirements that the board deems necessary for them to practice. They also have to pass certain examination requirements.

A chiropractor who wishes to be given a license to practice must complete a college course in chiropractic studies at an accredited school (as previously mentioned). Following that he or she must then graduate with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. After that comes a special examination known as the clinical competency exam that is given to the chiropractor by the National Board of Chiropractor Examiners (NBCE).

But Still There is More …

Whee! As you can see there is a lot of time, effort and commitment that must go into becoming a chiropractor. It is not as simple as 1-2-3 by any means! But it does not end there. Chiropractors are required to pass state board examinations. In order to be licensed by their state they must agree to take continuing education courses, programs and/or workshops on a yearly basis in order to keep up with advancements in their field.

The decision of which chiropractor to choose if you decide to seek out chiropractic services is a big one that should never be taken lightly. Now that you know what to look for the rest should be easy. Keep trust and your comfort level front and center in your mind. Your back is yours for life so treat it right by selecting a chiropractor wisely.

Samantha

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