You may be asking yourself “Just what in the heck are alternative therapies?” According to Northwestern Health Sciences University, alternative therapies are “Interventions for improving, maintaining and promoting health and well being, preventing disease, or treating illness. Encompassing over 200 modalities and more than 10,000 uses, alternative and complementary therapies are not part of the standard North American biomedical regimen of health care or disease prevention. Standard refers to practices commonly taught in U. S. medical schools, covered by major insurers, or referred to as allopathic or Western medicine.” This article will seek to explain some forms of alternative therapies and help you look into whether they might be the right choice for you.

Acupuncture

Do you often find yourself feeling like you’re on pins and needles? With acupuncture, you literally are. Acupuncture is a technique in which incredibly thin needles of varying lengths are inserted into your skin to help treat a variety of conditions. Although acupuncture isn’t touted as an actual treatment for cancer, studies have shown it can help in battling the nausea that comes along with chemotherapy and radiation. It aids in relieving pain after dental surgery, treating headaches, rehabilitation after strokes and helping to treat a number of different muskuloskeletal conditions. The points in which needles are inserted into your skin are called acupoints, and to keep a healthy energy flowing through the body, the needles are only inserted deep enough into the skin to keep them from falling out. If you are cringing and imagining feeling like a walking (or, laying down) pincushion: never fear. The most skilled acupuncturists do not cause any pain.

Chiropractic Care

If thinking of a visit to the chiropractor has you your head filled with visions of cracking bones and anguished faces, think again. It is a very safe and effective practice when performed by a professional. According to the American Chiropractic Association, “chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches.” Although chiropractic care itself does not hurt the patient, it is common for there to be a little bit of soreness and discomfort following any procedure. One benefit to an alternative therapy like the two listed is that they do not involve any type of drugs at all, simply trying to treat any illness or ailments through addressing it as directly as possible in the body.

Reflexology

Therapy through the hands and feet? This may sound like utter voodoo (or just plain gross to some) but reflexology is a calming and effective form of an alternative therapy. Reflexology is a form of therapy that uses pressure on specific areas of the feet (or the hands) with the goal of relieving a variety of problems and balancing the flow of vital energy throughout the body. While evidence does not support reflexology for a treatment for something serious like cancer, it has been shown to help with relaxation and relieve certain types of pain and anxiety. The theory behind reflexology is that there are certain points on the hands and feet that are associated with other body parts and organs. When these points on the hands and feet are stimulated, it is though t promote health and well being in the related body parts.

While alternative therapies tend not to be covered under standard health insurance packages, some companies will offer them at a slightly higher co-pay. If you are interested in learning more about these therapies and if they are available through your insurance provider, contact them today to find out more.

photo credit: Thunderchild tm

SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, can sound downright silly to those who have not experienced it. “You mean to say that you get depressed when winter time rolls around and there’s less light? What are you, a vampire?” Sadly (pun intended), those who suffer from SAD are just like the rest of us but they feel the changes of the seasons just as much as a bear hibernating for the winter. What exactly is SAD? According to webmd.com, SAD is “a form of depression that tends to occur as the days grow shorter in the fall and winter.

What Causes SAD?

It is believed that affected persons react adversely to the decreasing amount of light and the colder temperature as autumn and winter progress.” Depression, wanting to sleep all the time and sometimes a craving for starchy foods are symptoms of SAD, and while they may sound mild, imagine dealing with them for the long winter months. SAD isn’t a hopeless battle for those who suffer from it, so get some help in turning your SAD into happiness and joy.

Let There Be Light

One of the most effective treatments for SAD is lighting therapy. Light therapy comes in two forms, bright light treatment and dawn simulation. In bright light treatment, you sit in front of a light box for a specified amount of time (usually in the mornings), and you can actually buy these yourself. Plug one of these boxes in while you’re working in the morning, having breakfast or reading the paper, and enjoy its warmth for anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Dawn simulation is just like it sounds: you have a certain amount of light shining on you while you sleep and it increases toward the morning hours. The treatment’s effectiveness varies, but since it’s not always practical for busy people to sit in front of a light box for a long period of time, dawn simulation seems to be the most efficient use of time for people on the go.

photo credit: Flóra