Complementary therapies

[Storyteller.]

Complementary therapies
By Jessie (Felorena.)

Complementary therapies are a combination of conventional medicine therapies and philosophies (such as believing that illnesses develop when the person's body is out of balance and that a person's body, in the right conditions, can heal itself). While some people find going into counselling helps them with their mental health, other people find complementary therapies to be more beneficial. Complementary therapies are not just used by people who struggle with their mental health - they are also used by pregnant women, cancer patients, people who struggle with epilepsy, osteoporosis, asthma, etc. However, complementary therapies should not be used as substitutions for medical treatment. It is important that you continue to seek and use medical advice provided by the professional treating you (i.e. a GP or psychiatrist). If you are receiving medical treatment and would also like to try complementary therapies, you can consult with the person you are receiving treatment from.

Types of Complementary Therapy

Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves a trained therapist inserting fine needles into certain areas of a person’s body. QI is the name of the body’s motivating energy. This particular therapy helps QI to run through the body’s pathway. It is believed that when QI isn't running smoothly through the human body, it can cause illness. It is often used to treat people with conditions that cause headaches, dental pain, and back pain.

Aromatherapy
Oils extracted from plants are used for both psychological and physiological health treatment. Aromatherapy is often used to help with headaches and migraines. The oils extracted from plants are gently massaged into the skin, and drops of the oils are also added to bath water and oil burners. Some of these oils can be inhaled, which stimulates the olfactory system and can help with anxiety, depression, headaches, insomnia, pain relief, digestive issues, and menstrual/menopausal problems.

Yoga
Yoga is a well-known form of exercise that helps reduce a person’s stress level. Yoga is also known to help with bone and joint disorders, to increase body strength, to lower a person's heart rate, and to offer allergy and asthma relief. Yoga exercises can be learned through lessons with a professional instructor, but it can also be done at home using a wide range of books and DVDs.

Reflexology
This complementary therapy involves a reflexologist massaging the body using particular thumb and finger techniques, which are usually done on a person’s foot. The reflexologist will massage the area on the foot that corresponds to the part of the body that the reflexology is being aimed toward. This therapy can help with aches, anxiety, back pain, and headaches.

Hypnotherapy
With this technique, a hypnotherapist sends a person into a deep state of relaxation, which is said to help a person enter their subconscious mind and make positive changes. The hypnotherapist will help guide the person toward making those positives changes. Hypnotherapy is known to help with managing obsessive thoughts, phobias, stress, smoking cessation, weight loss, low mood, and anxiety.

Osteopathy
Osteopathy is all about moving, stretching, and massaging a person’s muscles and joints to help prevent and treat health issues. It is primarily used for back pain and other health problems that are related to our muscles, as well as asthma and menstrual cramping.

The Alexander Technique
This technique educates people on how they breathe and move in everyday life. The goal is to help people unlearn bad habits that place physical strain on the body. People who engage in this technique find it helpful in gaining control over tension and beginning a new learning process. It is about being aware and conscious of your body and movements (mentally and physically). You can learn this technique by attending group or individual sessions, which will consist of being guided through several different movements that help release any tension you may have in your body.

The Bowen Technique
This specific technique is known to help with pain relief, as well as boosting energy and improving the body’s functionality. A practitioner will perform rolling types of movement by pressing on certain points of the body with their thumbs and finger to help stimulate muscles and soft tissues.

Kinesiology
Kinesiology is all about identifying and addressing stress. The goal of kinesiology is to help a person become psychologically, emotionally, nutritionally, and spiritually healthy. This technique states that all of the above factors can affect each other. For example, a physical illness can affect a person's emotional well-being. Muscle testing techniques are used with this therapy, as well as gentle massage, touching reflex points on the body, and acupuncture.

Reiki
With reiki, a person will lay down or sit up, whichever position is more comfortable. The practitioner will then perform a sequence of movements by placing their hands on certain parts of the person’s body. This is done in a gentle manner. Unlike some other complementary therapies, this treatment is not focused on a specific problem a person may be having, and is used to address the person as a whole. This technique is aimed to help people heal on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels.

The Buteyko Breathing Technique
This technique is used to help a person breathe correctly. It is known to help a person control and manage their breathing, so they don’t breathe too fast. This is helpful for those who suffer from asthma, but it can also be used as a relaxation technique by enabling a person to control their breathing, which brings them into a calmer state. This technique can also focus on sleeping patterns and nutrition.

Selecting a Complementary Therapy

There are many things you may want to take into consideration before selecting a complementary therapy. As stated previously, complementary therapies should not be used as substitutions for medical treatment. If one of these techniques is appealing to you, consult with the person you are currently receiving treatment from. Additionally, you should spend a significant amount of time researching the complementary therapy you would like to utilize. Some of these techniques require paying fees for appointments, classes, and materials. Other techniques require devoting an hour or more of your time, and results may not be apparent until several weeks or months have passed. Finally, you should find out what it means for someone to be a "professional" in their area of expertise. How many hours of experience does an instructor need to accrue before they can be considered a "professional"? Are specialists required to attend workshops, obtain degrees, or become licensed in order to practice their complementary therapy techniques? Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for people to be taken advantage of (financially and emotionally), especially when they are desperate for a cure. Choose carefully when selecting these or any other complementary therapies!