People Are Starting To Embrace Alternative Therapy

By Leslie Spooler

No longer is conventional therapy the only means of healing as people are turning to alternate methods. Mainstream medical treatment and alternative or complimentary therapy has become part of integrated treatment and today there is some very high quality scientific verification in safety and efficacy aspects. The alternative therapies are known to provide certain types of services that aren't available within conventional medicine. They include the following: folk medicine, herbal medicine, diet fads, homeopathy, faith healing, 'new age' healing, chiropractic, naturopathy, massage, and music therapy although this list is not exhaustive. Alternative therapies very often promise cure or help in areas where conventional treatment might not wish to do so.

Alternative health therapies can help you feel better and improve your quality of life and improve your general health to give you a sense of control. Reducing and eliminating tension, stress, anxiety, depression and sleeplessness, causes the person to feel a sense of well-being and relaxation. They can even help to reduce the symptoms of cancer, such as pain, feeling sick, breathlessness, constipation, diarrhea, tiredness and poor appetite as well as help to moderate some of the side effects of traditional cancer treatment.

Often used together with conventional medicine, alternative therapy can tend to mask pain which may hide the actual very serious underlying problem. These therapies are offered free of cost or for a minimal charge by some cancer support groups; they are also a part of cancer treatment provided by hospitals and hospices. The therapies are used by many cancer patients to help them through the illness and its treatment. These therapies are very valuable in that they identify and support spiritual and emotional characteristics and physical features, but they should not be used as the only alternative line of treatment.

Americans for example, now spend billion annually on alternative health products such as vitamins and herbs. Around 72 million adults in the US are using alternative or complimentary therapy according to studies carried out in 2005 by Tindle, Davis, Phillips, & Eisenberg. From these studies, there was also an indication of a figure of more than thirty four billion dollars each year that is spent on out of pocket expenses for all of these therapies based on information that was provided by Craig, Herman and Caspi a few years ago.

It is very essential to find out which treatments offered by alternative health therapies are more effective and at the same time making you feel much better and comfortable. The quality of life for many people has improved especially those who have Motor Neuron Disease. It is important to consult the treating physician before using alternative therapies and to check out all additional treatment, so that there is no adverse or cross reactions that affect the treatment.

In the event, that you make the decision to integrate some of the alternative health therapies into your specific treatment plan, you are going to need to discuss all of your choices very openly, regularly and honestly with your physician and others that are part of your health care team. The treating physician can often recommend and help in acquiring alternative treatments at the clinic or hospital itself or some other provider. Maybe they will be able to recommend some precise practitioners or therapies as more doctors are convinced that in today's society, complementary medicine has a place. Most find that this type of therapy gives them back some control of their lives and lessens the anxiety and it also helps them cope with side effects of conventional treatment. - 30453

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