Why use alternative therapies

Some people believe the senses, touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste, can affect overall health. Examples of therapies incorporating the senses include:. Health Home Wellness and Prevention. Examples of CAM include: Traditional alternative medicine. Examples of body therapies include: Chiropractic and osteopathic medicine Massage Body movement therapies Tai chi Yoga Diet and herbs.

An example of external energy therapy is: Electromagnetic therapy Reiki Qigong Mind. Therapies using the mind may include: Meditation Biofeedback Hypnosis Senses. Examples of therapies incorporating the senses include: Art, dance, and music Visualization and guided imagery. Indigenous systems of healing: questions for professional, popular, and folk care. In: Salmon JW, ed. Alternative Medicines: Popular and Policy Perspectives.

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Lipowski ZJ. Somatization: the concept and its clinical application. Am J Psychiatry. Dean K. Self-care responses to illness: a selected review. Soc Sci Med [A]. Kuhn T. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press; Save Preferences. Privacy Policy Terms of Use. This Issue. Citations 1, View Metrics. Twitter Facebook More LinkedIn. Original Contribution. John A. Astin, PhD. Dependent Variable. Independent Variables.

Demographic Characteristics. Health Problems. Frequency of Use of Alternative Medicine. Multivariate Statistics.

Primary Reliance on Alternative Medicine. Perceived Benefits of Alternative Medicine. Access your subscriptions. Access through your institution. Add or change institution. Free access to newly published articles. Purchase access. Complementary and alternative therapies are estimated to be used by up to two thirds of people in Australia. This is not necessarily the case, particularly if the dose is greater than that which occurs naturally in food.

Complementary medicines can cause harmful effects in some people, including severe allergic reactions. Many complementary medicines contain active ingredients that people may not recognise. Cases of contamination have also been reported. As a precaution, do not use complementary medicines in children or if you are pregnant , attempting to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Ask your healthcare professional about the potential benefits and harms of any complementary therapy before using it.

People may have more than one reason for trying a complementary therapy. Some of the reasons include:. The most frequent users of complementary therapies in Australia are women and those who are well educated. Many people use complementary therapies and medicines because of their cultural traditions and beliefs.

Contact the professional association for your chosen therapy and ask for a list of members in your area. This may include:. During the first visit with your practitioner, ask about their training and qualifications. Be very cautious about any practitioner who advises you to abandon your conventional medical treatment.

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine and consists of inserting fine needles into specific points on the skin. The Alexander technique stresses that movement should be economical and needs only the minimum amount of energy and effort.

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