COMMON MEDICINE

The term alternative medicine can be applied to any form of medicine that differs from conventional Western understanding of disease and its treatment. It includes many different types of therapies and some, such as acupuncture and osteopathy, enjoy fairly widespread acceptance. The various forms of alternative medicine have gained more respect in recent times because of the growing number of people who have become alienated by the clinical remoteness of orthodox medicine or as a last resort when science fails to effect cure. Even among orthodox medical practitioners, there is a steadily growing awareness that conventional methods are not necessarily the only or even the best way to handle every sort of health problem. Some practice forms of alternative medicine themselves or have contacts to whom they refer patients. Read the rest of this entry »

Australian physiotherapist Frederick Matthias Alexander developed the Alexander technique late last century to cure himself of a disorder that had defied conventional treatment. The technique is based on the belief that the body should operate in harmony with itself and not be dictated to by the will. Correct functioning of the body is established by posture improvement, diet and individualised exercise programme. While the technisque is not an exercise, it requires practice and experiment with the guidance of a tutor – it cannot be learned from books or lectures. The rewards are improved coordination and poise, greater understanding of mind-body unity and general peace of mind.

HERBAL MEDICINE is an ancient system of tratment involving the use of plants, or substances extracted form them. Mnay drugs used by doctors today are also derived from plants, but herbalists use them in their natural, unrefined, unconcentrated form; they consider that in this way side effects are balanced. Herbal medicines are administered in infusions, liquid medicines, tablets or creams. Herbalists believe there is a natural remedy for every ailment, but most regard herbalism as complementary to, rather than a substitute for orthodox medical treatment. Herbal remedies can have side effects and interact with other therapeautic drugs.

HYPNOSIS is an artificially created state of altered consciousness – neither wakefulness nor sleep – in which the subject is susceptible to suggestion. Most people can be heypnotised but it is difficult, if not impossible, to hypnotise anyone against his will. The essence of hypnotism lies in persuading the patient to realx until he sinks into a trance. Once in a trance-like state, he automatically folows the hypnotist’s instructions, although it is generally believed that a patient under hypnosis will not do anything againsts his conscience.

Although hypnotherapy remains on the fringe of conventional medicine, it is bieng  used more and more by orthodox medical practitioners. Some psychiatrists use it to relieve mental conditions such as a phobia, or physical ailments such as ashma, and it has been used to combat addictions like smoking and in pain relief during labour.

NATUROPATHY, devised in the 1800’s, is based on the premise that the body is capable of healing itself through natural processes. It borrows form homoeopathy, osteopathy, herbal medicine and other forms of alternative medicine to treat chronic diseases and inexplicable ill-health without resorting to drugs. It is also a form of preventive medicine. Treatement involves finding the correct diet (including fasting) and lifestyle for each individual patient and is sometimes accompanied by massage, exercise, special baths and sunbathing, mineral and vitamin preparations and herbal teas. Some naturopathic medications may have side effects and cause interactions iwth therapeutic drugs. Naturopaths in general do not hold orthodox medial qualifications.