Popular Alternative Medical Careers

Basic Acupuncture.

Image via Wikipedia

The Alternative Medicine Sourcebook describes “alternative medicine” as healing practices that do “not fall within the realm of conventional medicine.” Critics claim that the effectiveness of alternative medicine is negligible, but many turn to it as a practical treatment for their ailments, often in conjunction with conventional medicine. Business is good, and practitioners are in demand. Here are a few fields that those interested in alternative medicine careers can pursue.

  • Acupuncture: Acupuncture treats patients via the insertion or manipulation of needles in the body. The ancient practice originated in China and is used to relieve pain, promote health, and some claim that it can prevent disease and improve fertility.
  • Chiropractics: This field of alternative medicine focuses on diagnosing and treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Treatments involve manual therapy of joints or of the spine and certain exercises.
  • Iridology: This somewhat controversial alternative medicine involves diagnosing physical ailments by thoroughly examining the eye. Treatments then generally include homeopathy or herbal medication.
  • Naturopathy: Naturopathy involves encouraging the body’s natural ability to heal and not relying on surgery or medication. Treatments include, but are not limited to, acupuncture, massage, kinesiology, iridology, enemas, vitamins, and a variety of other therapies.

Those interested in careers in medicine alternatives generally need some sort of specific education or training. This can be gained from classes, study, apprenticing or through specialized institutions like chiropractic schools. A lot of people are either wary of chemicals or in favor of more natural treatments and will need professionals in the field of alternative medicine to help them.

Filed Under: Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Traditional Medicine Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Acupuncture for Pain Relief

Basic Acupuncture.

Image via Wikipedia

Acupuncture for Pain Relief

There are a number of different pain conditions that acupuncture can be used to help, including people that are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, people that have severe menstrual cramps and people that have TMJ which is also known as temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Acupuncture has also been beneficial for people dealing with arthritis conditions, lower back pain, headaches and migraines.

Acupuncture for Headaches and Migraines

According to a research review that was published back in 2009, acupuncture can be as effective as medication if not more so than in protecting people from migraines. Another review done in 2009 indicated that acupuncture may also be capable of benefiting people that have frequent chronic tension headache episodes.

Acupuncture for Arthritic Conditions

According to recent research, acupuncture may also be capable of benefiting people that have osteoarthritis, especially in the knees. According to a review and a meta-analysis in 2007, researchers have found that administering acupuncture in an intensive treatment regimen over two to four weeks may offer significant relief for this type of arthritis related knee pain.

Acupuncture for Lower Back Pain

According to a study back in 2009, 638 adults that had chronic lower back pain were studied. They participated and underwent 10 different acupuncture sessions that were administered across a period of seven weeks. These people showed much greater improvement in their symptoms in comparison to those that only received standard care. A year after the treatment, the study members that were in the acupuncture group had still showed significant improvements in their dysfunction, showing the potential for long term relief.

Emerging evidence is suggesting that a number of different people are going to be able to benefit from acupuncture, including people that are suffering from TMJ or temporomandibular joint dysfunction, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome and even menstrual cramps. These are just some of the ailments that have shown to be treatable using acupuncture and other alternative treatments.

Filed Under: Acupuncture, Ancient Practices Tagged With: , ,

Understanding Acupuncture as an Alternative Treatment

Understanding Acupuncture as an Alternative Treatment

Originally practiced in Chinese Medicine for many years, acupuncture is regarded as an alternative medical therapy that involves the use of needles in order to stimulate very specific points on your body. Each of these points is said to be connected with meridians, which are specific pathways within the body that are responsible for carrying your vital energy throughout your body.

According to theories regarding acupuncture, it is blockages in your natural flow of energy or “chi” that disrupt your well being and lead to become ill. It is believed that when you stimulate these acupuncture points, blockages can be cleared up that will allow you to return to a healthier and more vital state. Because this type of practice involves needles, it is vitally essential that you only allow a licensed practitioner to practice acupuncture on your body, and that you never do it to your own self.

Acupuncture is commonly used for treating pain, and pain complaints and musculoskeletal complaints actually account for as many as seven of the top ten different conditions that individuals use acupuncture for. According to the National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, acupuncture is appearing to be a truly promising alternative for people with a wide variety of different pain conditions, but it is apparent that further research is going to be needed before any conclusions can be drawn about how effective acupuncture actually is for these conditions.

Acupuncture is commonly used for migraines and regular headaches, arthritis conditions and lower back pain. Acupuncture has also been recommended for people that are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, people that have severe menstrual cramps and people that have TMJ which is also known as temporomandibular joint dysfunction. There are a number of other ailments as well that acupuncture may be capable of treating, but the official word is still out as people try to understand how acupuncture can impact the flow of energy in the body, and the health of the body accordingly.

Filed Under: Acupuncture, Ancient Practices Tagged With: ,

Accupuncture

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, good health is associated with the balance of yin and yang within the body system. Yin is identified with the life force of blood and yang is associated with energy. Disease is believed to be caused by the energy within these systems being blocked or out of balance. The practice of acupuncture uses needles inserted in specific areas of the body. Acupuncture is used to treat illness and provide therapy. Many practitioners support the use of acupuncture for treatment of disease, pain and infertility. The practice of acupuncture is considered an alternative type of medicine.

Acupuncture is based on the belief that blocked or insufficient energy can be unblocked and provided by the placement and manipulation of needles along the meridian path of the body. The energy path of the meridian locations are believed to be the points that are areas for healing using acupuncture. The points chosen along the meridian path are based on mystical Chinese beliefs. The main acupuncture points used are the twelve main meridian pathways and two of the eight extra meridian paths.

A visit to an acupuncturist will include an examination and discussion with the practitioner. Based on the results of the examination the acupuncturist will decide which pressure points to treat. Modern acupuncturists will utilize fine diameter stainless steel needles for the treatment. The depth of insertion will be dependent upon the style of treatment used. Warming an acupuncture point with herbs prior to insertion into a pressure point may be used as a supplement to the treatment. A large majority of areas require acupuncture needles to be sterile, disposable to be used only once and then discarded.

A majority of people beleive that accupuncture is an effective form of treatment and would visit an accupuncturist. A large number of insurance plans cover the cost of acupuncture treatments making it an available option for many.

Filed Under: Acupuncture, Healthy Tips, Herbal, Traditional Medicine Tagged With: , , ,

Alternative Medicine and Therapies: Acupuncture

Acupuncture doll. Archie McPhee store, Ballard...
Image via Wikipedia

Have you ever seen those movies where someone is lying very still on a table with a thousand long needles protruding from his body? That is a depiction of the Chinese form of therapeutic treatment called acupuncture.

The belief with the practice of acupuncture is that inserting sterile thin needles into certain pressure points in the body in order to relieve pain. These pressure points are said to exist on the 12 main meridians of the body and two of the eight extra meridians. They are expressed as channels where the blood flows in critical locations that effect how the body responses to stimulus.

The 12 main acupuncture channels are the bladder, gall bladder, heart, kidney, large intestine, liver, lung, pericardium, spleen, stomach and the San Jiao. The San Jiao is an intangible part of the body, roughly translated as the triple burner and loosely used in reference to one’s metabolism in traditional Chinese medicine.

The eight extra meridians include the divergents, luo vessels, sinew channels, ren mai and du mai. Ren mai and du mai are the only of these eight extra meridians that are subject to needle manipulation, while the rest can be reached through the original 12 meridians.

The idea is that the blood, also known as the qi, became stagnant within the body, when it normally flows continually and creates a continuous circuit between the meridians. Stagnant qi causes pain. There are both internal and external pathways associated with the qi. The external pathways are those in which the needles are used.

Acupuncturists typically only treat the area related to the patient’s specific pain problem through interrogation and observation. Traditional Chinese medicine implements four diagnostic methods:

Inspection – analysis of the face and tongue
Auscultation and Olfaction – listening to sounds and observing odors produced by the body
Inquiring – looking for chills/fever, perspiration, appetite, thirst/taste and defecation/urination
Palpation – analysis of the heart rhythms and pulse

While the idea of having needles stuck into your body to relieve pain can be intimidating, there are very few injuries reported by those treated by a trained acupuncturist.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine

Old Chinese medical chart on acupuncture meridians
Image via Wikipedia

Traditional Chinese Medicine, often referred to as TCM, is very different from Western medical practices that most are familiar with. Dating back nearly 3000 years in history, TCM’s basis for healing treatments of the human body are based on Daoism and the religion’s holistic understanding of the universe. Illnesses are treated based upon the differentiation of syndromes.

TCM is based upon the Chinese concept that there are five elements which make up the whole of the universe  wood, fire, earth, metal and water. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the theory of the five elements is used to determine the relationship between the human body’s pathology and physiology and the environment in which it is exposed to in order to treat illnesses.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine everything revolves around the belief that Qi (pronounced Chi) connects tissues and organs. Qi is a network of blood vessels and channels throughout the body and, when something is wrong, it is because the blood in the Qi has become stagnant within one of these channels, disrupting the connection between organs and tissues and causing an individual to be sick.

When practitioners in TCM evaluate a patient, they look at possible causes and nature for the disease, as well as the mechanism and location. Another very important consideration is the correlation between the body’s resistance and pathology.

Therefore, treatment for an illness is not solely based on symptoms, which means that two individuals with the same symptoms and possibly even the same disease, may receive completely different treatments because so many other factors are considered.

The most common Traditional Chinese Medicines include acupuncture, qigong exercises and herbal treatments. Acupuncturists use sterile and disposable needles in specific areas of the body to stimulate the proper flow of the Qi and reactivate the body’s immune system. Herbal remedies aim to get the body’s organs to function correctly by stimulating them internally. Qigong exercises are specific movements of the body that work to get the Qi flowing correctly again.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Traditional Chinese Medicine – An introduction

Chinese medicine shop
Image by Jean-François Chénier via Flickr

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) is often an alternative source of health medicine all over the world, dominating the Asian market to begin with. In fact, it is considered as the mainstream method of treatment all over in East Asia. The West is yet to accept it as a major force in the medical world as the majority of the Western society depends largely on allopathic remedies.

TCM is not a single dimensional way of treating people as it consists of various forms of treatments such as acupuncture, massage, herbs and dietary therapies. TCM’s roots are supposedly quite deep in to the history of ancient China. Arguably it is the kind of treatment that has been going on in China and East Asia for thousands of years. TCM is based on the clinical observation of Nature and how it interacts with the human body, and vice versa. It studies the cosmos as well to get deep in to the remedial system of human body system. TCM has got its practice majorly through family tradition as it has moved from one generation to the other to establish its dominance.

China is one of those countries who prefer to update themselves with modern technologies and advancements without refusing the history, culture and tradition. As a part of that, TCM has also been modernized in its application. Now the major ingredients of TCM, such as herbs and plants, are transformed in to tablets and soluble granules. China has its medication source from living creatures as well. The living creatures used for preparing TCM, which are about 25 in number, include frogs, earthworms, bees and snakes. Their key ingredients are now packed in sachets as pills. Another example of its modernization is that Artemisinin, an extensively used western drug to treat malaria, has got its inspiration from the major ingredients of TCM.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Acupuncture, Ancient Practices, Chinese Medicine, Traditional Medicine Tagged With: , ,

Chinese Alternative Medicine Offers Complete Cure

Traditional Tibetan Medicine Poster seen in Ch...
Image via Wikipedia

Many people are seen to opt for alternative medicines now-a-days because it does not give the kind of side effects experienced with chemical-based drugs. It includes a wide range of practices such as massage therapy, chiropractic, naturopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and naturopathy.

Alternative health medicine has been used to treat a variety of illnesses such as bad breath, insomnia, heart disease, allergies, depression, skin problem, gastrointestinal problems, arthritis and much more. Though in the west, alternate medicine is not used in general hospitals in China, Chinese Medicine in the form of herbal treatment methods or acupuncture is used alongside modern medicines.

Chinese Alternative Medicine is based on the philosophy of yin and yang energies, which must be in the right balance for the body to function normally. The oldest book on Chinese medicine Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic, extensively describes the use of various forms of herbs for treating various health complications. It indicates the use of 365 different species of roots, stones, woods, grass, fur and also animals for curing diseases.

A diagnosis of a problem is based on observation of symptoms rather than the use of laboratory tests. There are four types of observation methods used and these include general observance of sickness symptoms, finding out background of the patient, hearing the patient and also smelling their body odor and finally touching them to understand their body strength and area of ailment.

Chinese alternate treatment methods are extensive. It encompasses auriculotherapy, acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, Qigong, Tui na and much more. The form of treatment chosen depends on the illnesses and careful observation of what is necessary to cure the problem. It takes a good Chinese alternate medical practitioner a lot of years to understand various health problems and treatment methods and become fully accomplished in handling the treatment process. Today, it is favored by many because they find that it provides effective treatment, without causing undue side effects.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Ancient Practices, Chinese Medicine, Traditional Medicine Tagged With: , , ,

Benefits of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese Medical practice where fine needles are inserted into specific parts of the body for the purpose of curing an illness. When the needles pierce through the body, they release blocked energy which is responsible for causing imbalances in health. This alternative medicine technique has been practiced in China for thousands of years and has been used to effectively treat health problems.

During an acupuncture session, the patient will lie flat on the table while the practitioner will insert needles into the body at various points. These points are gateways for the body’s energy flow. Acupuncture points redirect the energy to areas that are deficient. The needles inserted will be at an angle of 15 degree to 90 degrees. These needles can be manipulated by hand and they will be twisted depending on what the practitioner considers as right. Other motions that can be used include vibration, heating, cooling, and gentle electrification.

What can acupuncture help to treat? Acupuncture can strengthen the body’s immune system. This makes the body strong and also resistant to various illnesses such as infections, flu, and cold and so on. It can be used to treat psychological disorders such as phobias, eating disorders, anxiety, addictions and so on. Studies show that depression can be cured through acupuncture.

After surgery, acupuncture is highly effective in increasing vitality and body energy. Those with hypertension will find acupuncture to help them to control the problem and also give better energy levels. Today, everyone is interested in looking slim, but losing weight is not an easy task. Acupuncture is highly effective in bringing down weight by suppressing the appetite.

Those who have to take drugs for fighting off pain will find acupuncture to help reduce the need to take them frequently. It improves body circulation and in doing so energizes the body and strengthens it to fight off diseases. It has been noted that where various health medicines have failed to give adequate treatment, this form of Chinese medicine has proven to be quite effective.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Acupuncture, Healthy Tips, Treatments Tagged With: , ,

How Can Traditional Chinese Medicine Cure Health Problems?

Jar of dried, gutted sea cucumbers at a Tradit...
Image via Wikipedia

Traditional Chinese Medicine is sought after for curing health problems, because it is highly effective and can bring about definite positive results. The reason behind its effectiveness is that it likens the human body to the universe and all systems inside the body to be interlinked to one another, just like elements of the universe.

The entire body has a crisscross of meridians flowing through it through which the body’s energy, referred to as Chi in Chinese Traditional Medicine flows. When the energy is blocked, illness occurs. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) looks into releasing this blocked energy for making the body to function properly.

TCM practices include herbal medicine, qugong exercises, and acupuncture. Major theories that govern treatment are five Phases, Meridian System, Zang Fu, Six confirmations and four levels. The most important of these theories is the five elements theory. The five elements on which TCM is based are Water (kidney, ears), Wood (liver, eyes), Fire (heart, sexual glands, and tongue), Earth (spleen, mouth) and Metal (lungs, nose). This five elements theory has been use for more than 2000 years for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment of various illnesses.

Unlike modern medical practices, TCM does not make use of lab tests to check for the health problem. It makes use of methods such as observation, using hearing and smell, and touching to find out the exact cause of the problem and a means for curing it.

TCM can cure problems such as anxiety, spinal stnosis, high blood pressure, allergies, arthritis, insomnia, bipolar disorder, psoriasis, and even spinal cord injury. In order to get the best results from treatment it is necessary to consult an experienced practitioner. This way the health problem is addressed at the root level so that the actual cause of the problem is analyzed and the problem rectified to bring about normal health once again.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Ancient Practices, Chinese Medicine, Traditional Medicine Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts