Alternative medicine

chiaraluna · Jun 18, 2006

I'm considering starting to frequent an alternative medicine practitioner and to cut down on my tendency to resort to Western medicine for every ailment. I still intend to see the OB-GYN and dentist regularly, but for sickness and the like I'd really like to try something else. I don't know much about methods of alternative medicine, and I was wondering if any of you could give me some insight. 
In my area we have listings for the following types of centers/practitioners: 
naturopathy, osteopathy, acupuncture, a flower practitioner, cleansing therapy (within a chiropractic center), herbalists, holistic consultants/councelors, homeopathy, Reiki, general wellness centers, yoga centers 
Where should I start? What have you found successful for overall wellness?

nigel · Jun 18, 2006

Just a general comment on the subject... 
For most people looking for better health and alternatives to going to "western" doctors, the solution is as simple as going to the gym. Quite often, a 16-year-old at the YMCA can set you on a better path to wellness than a slew of MDs or alternative practitioners who only treat symptoms. 
Of course, some people have their special needs. I was in a serious accident when I was a kid, and my left side is prone to injury. I see an acupressurist, a couple of times a year, who treats me and prescribes specific exercises. I've noticed a world of difference since I've been seeing him. 
If you have health insurance, I recommend that you read the fine print in what options are available to you. Sometimes insurance companies will help pay for some "alternative" treatments, like massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, even exercise programs if your doctor prescribes it - they just don't necessarily advertise it. If your doctor won't prescribe, hopefully you can change to one who will.

zoebird · Jun 18, 2006

ok, this is a toughy. lets see if i can put some ideas out there: 
what sorts of ailments do you commonly have? 
how do you normally treat them? 
how often do you go to a western doctor and for what reasons? 
why maintain an ob/gyn and dentist but not other forms of western medical professionals? 
do you know or want to know the differences between practitioners that you mentioned above?

GhostUser · Jun 18, 2006

I definitely recommend Reiki.

chiaraluna · Jun 18, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by zoebird <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
ok, this is a toughy. lets see if i can put some ideas out there: 
what sorts of ailments do you commonly have? 
how do you normally treat them? 
how often do you go to a western doctor and for what reasons? 
why maintain an ob/gyn and dentist but not other forms of western medical professionals? 
do you know or want to know the differences between practitioners that you mentioned above?</div>
</div>
 
Thanks for the advice, nigel! As you'll see in my answers to zoe's questions, I am in fact looking to treat a specific problem, and I actually have started going to the gym regularly to try to improve my overall health. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> 
Zoebird, to answer your questions: 
Well, my most aggravating ailment is allergies (fairly severe and not seasonal). I end up getting serious colds and sinus/bronchial infections 3-5 times a year because of these allergies... I'll get very congested, my body will get tired out, gradually the congestion will develop an infection, and often this infection will travel to my chest to become bronchitis. This pattern has been going on for 3-4 years, and at the moment all that's happened to fix it is antibiotics each time I develop an infection. I'll be starting allergy shots to improve the severity of my allergies in the fall, but I want to do all I can to get rid of them -- as a singer, I can't afford to be getting respiratory tract infections that often. 
The OB-GYN and dentist thing is just a personal call... I feel much more comfortable knowing that I go to the GYN once a year for a pap test and a breast exam and don't want to stop getting those, and I like to have a yearly dental exam as well. The allergies/colds are what I want to address most specifically with alternative medicine, not routine examinations like those. 
I have done a little research on the practitioners I have listed, but I'd really like to hear from people who visit one or more of these types of practitioners regularly to see what kind of success they have had. 
Thanks for your help! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

">

Shantih · Jun 18, 2006

I get very severe hayfever, I'm a student, and it always starts right around exam time, so there's very few tablets I can take that won't make me drowsy, something I cannot have in an exam, so I began trying out herbal remedies, and they work well for me, with no side effects, so I'd recommend trying them out. I go to a local chinese herbalist, and the couple who own the shop talk to you about your symptoms, your lifestyle, etc, then give you what they think is best. My sister also gets bad hayfever, and they gave her something different to me, and it works very well for her. She has a different diet to me, and general lifestyle, and tends to suffer more from itchy/stinging eyes, whereas I get bad asthma and sinus problems, so it's very good to be getting medication more specific to our needs, rather than just taking a generic allergy pill. 
I haven't tried any of the other medicines you've mention, so I won't say herbal medicine is definately the best way, different things work for different people <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/guitarist.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":guitar:">

Alternative medicine

chiaraluna

Registered

nigel

Banned

zoebird

Registered

GhostUser

Registered

chiaraluna

Registered

Shantih

Registered