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See Popular Holistic Programs
One of the most interesting and growing fields in internal medicine today is holistic medicine, also known as "alternative" medicine. While sometimes used in place of conventional medical treatments, Holistic Medicine is more commonly used today in conjunction with mainstream medicine as a complimentary or integrative solution.
As the name implies, "holistic medicine" approaches the patient as a whole - a physical, emotional, social, and spiritual being - offering highly individualized treatments that target the root causes of the illness rather than the symptoms. Most holistic treatments are designed to stimulate the body's natural healing processes. Sometimes conditions that do not respond to conventional healing techniques, do respond to alternative treatments; if not completely, at least enough to offer relief.
Education
Meeting the educational requirements to practice in various Holistic Medicine fields are actually one of the more attractive components e.g. It's possible to complete certification in a Reflexology program in just 720 hours, or get licensed as a Certified Massage Therapist (CMT) in as little as 3 quarters.
The coursework typically ranges from hard sciences like physiology, biochemistry, and biostatistics, to softer science courses such as history of alternative medicine, to practical technique.
What was once considered "unconventional" medicine now appears to be gaining favor among a wide spectrum of the healthcare community, especially as the costs and risks of conventional treatments continue to increase. A recent survey showed that almost 70% of Americans have used some form of natural or holistic treatment and many received insurance compensation for these services such as massage, chiropractic and acupuncture.
Alternative Medicine
The five main areas of holistic medicine are:
- Alternative Medical Systems: homeopathy
, traditional Chinese Medicine
[TCM], or Ayurvedic
- Biological Medicine: Chinese, Native American, and European herbal treatments
- Energy Medicine: Biofield and Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies like Qi Gong
, Reiki, Therapeutic Touch
, and Electro Acupuncture
- Manual Medicine: Physical Therapy, Reflexology
, Feldeinkrais, or Massage
- Mind-Body Medicine: Biofeedback
, Guided Imagery, Hypnotherapy
, Meditation, Yoga, or Deep Relaxation.
Massage Therapy, the most popular, has been embraced primarily for stress reduction, but is now commonly understood as an extremely effective tool in the relief of chronic neck, back, muscle, or joint pain, as well as chronic headaches and migraines. It's used to help align the body and in some cases, the simple act of nurturing, compassionate touch has been found valuable in the role of emotional, social and spiritual well-being.
There are several massage methods used by therapists, including Shiatsu, Swedish, Thai, Deep Tissue, and Myofascial Release.
Eastern medicine, based on the time tested traditions and ancient methods of the far east, are another quickly growing area in Holistic Medicine. Credibility in these fields increased significantly as insurance institutions started supporting these treatments financially. Acupuncture, Ayurvedic medicine, and Chinese herbology have served people well for several thousand years. These treatments were refined over time and then spread and grew popular among other cultures as Eastern citizens immigrated to Europe and North America.
Qualified practitioners of alternative medicines tend to hold themselves to the same high standards as conventional medical doctors - they are offer an alternative to the traditional practices of medicine, which requires that they build trust in the public of the healing benefits they provide. Holistic medicine, like other medical occupations, is a career for those who truly care about healing clients and patients.
Sources:
Alternative Medicine
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