As you've probably heard before, alternative medicine is becoming more and more popular in the US, but which alternative medicine is currently the most popular, and do you want to try it out? Or are you going to take out health insurance? Then it is good to know that you can take out supplementary insurance for alternative medicine. The reimbursement differs per health insurer. In addition, you have to pay attention to the special conditions that health insurers impose. For example, they require that your alternative healer is a member of a professional association.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda focuses on restoring the balance of body and mind. During treatments, the therapist uses yoga, meditation, massages, and cures. By bringing body and mind back into balance, the therapist helps you to a healthier life. Ayurveda can contribute to the treatment of chronic complaints and can prevent complaints through good nutrition and lifestyle.
Acupuncture
The operation is based on the following: in our body, there are invisible orbits along which the energies Yin and Yang run. These two opposing forces, constantly flow into each other, but can also become unbalanced. These invisible orbits are called meridians and each belongs to an organ. All orbits together form an energy network, on which the acupuncture points lie. Each of these points is in contact with an organ or with a certain function. If you are not ‘healthy', the acupuncturist can use needles to slow down or stimulate certain energies and restore health.
Anthroposophy
Anthroposophy is a form of healing in which it is assumed that everyone is made up of different layers. In anthroposophy developed by Rudolf Steiner, man is seen as a whole of body, soul, and spirit. The body is an obvious fact for everyone. The fact that we have a soul is especially noticeable in our feelings and emotions. That we are also spiritual beings is apparent from our self-awareness and from the related fact that as individuals we can give direction to our lives.
In anthroposophical medicine man is also viewed from this holistic point of view: body, soul, and spirit form a unity. Diseases are seen as a disturbance of the balance in one or more of the areas of which the human being is composed. A crucial role in the process of sickness and health is played by the life forces that provide our vitality.
Chiropractic care:
Chiropractic care mainly focuses on disorders in the functioning of the spine and its influence on the nervous system. Because the spinal column surrounds the spinal cord and the central nervous system and numerous nerves branch out on both sides, disorders or blockages in the spinal column can cause various complaints.
These blockages can manifest themselves in weakened or cramped muscles, tingling sensations, painful radiations, headaches, and balance disorders. A free, smooth passage of nerve impulses in the spine is therefore essential for normal and painless functioning of the body.
Chiropractic is a therapy that is very popular with people that have back or neck complaints. It originated in 1895 and is now known all over the world. The word chiropractic is derived from the Greek word ‘cheiros' hand and ‘pratto' practice. It means: practice with the hand. Besides classical medicine and dentistry, chiropractic is the third most common medicine in the world. The philosophy of chiropractic care is that many health problems can have their origin in the spine.
Phytotherapy
Phytotherapy is a collective term for a number of alternative therapies. Phytotherapy is an alternative medicine in which the mind is an important part of physical health. According to phytotherapists, the cause of a physical complaint is due to an imbalance between your mind and body. With the help of 100% herbal remedies, this balance can be restored. In contrast to homeopathy, the active substances from the medicinal plants are administered in their normal dosage. Phytotherapy is also called herbal medicine.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a medicine in which the self-healing capacity of the body is stimulated and activated. The principle of homeopathic medicine is that a person can be cured of a disorder or disease, by administering a homeopathic medicine, which causes the same symptoms in a healthy person as the disorder or disease in question.
Homeopathy is a holistic healing method, which means that the human being as a whole is central. When body and mind are not in balance, a person can get ailments or get sick. It is therefore important not only to suppress the symptoms but also to restore the balance. Homeopathic remedies are mild, safe, and harmless for the liver and kidneys. They are not harmful to the environment and are not tested on animals. This makes homeopathy a very sustainable and natural medicine that is good for people, animals, and the environment.
Iridology
Iridology, also known as iridodiagnosis or iridiagnosis, is a technique from complementary naturopathy that can be used to identify causes of complaints and other disturbances in the body. This is achieved by looking closely at the iris – the colored part of the eye. Although less important, the other parts of the eye: the pupil and the white of the eye are also examined.
A magnifying glass and/or digital equipment is used to take a picture of the eye. The iridologist then goes to see if he/she can find any abnormalities in the structure of the iris. Deviations can be for example stripes, spots, dots, or discoloration.
Manual Therapy – (Collective)
Manual therapy is the research and treatment of complaints of the “musculoskeletal system”. This means the spine, muscles, and joints of the arms and legs. Central to this is the examination of the joints. It turns out that the cause of many pain complaints, including “muscle pain”, must be sought in a disorder of the mobility of a joint. The latter is also called a ” joint blockage “. In manual medicine, making the right diagnosis is very important for setting up the right therapy. A blockage can have several causes. Often, overexertion of a joint due to a “weird” movement, an accident or a bad working posture is the cause of a blockage.
Mesology:
Mesology is a concept of medicine in which regular knowledge is effectively integrated with knowledge from complementary (alternative) medicine in diagnostics and treatment of mainly chronic diseases. This medicine also focuses on the individual approach of the patient and on the self-healing power of the organism.
Humans are in constant interaction with their environment. The contact is formed by food and air (digestion and airways= entoderm) and our nervous system (senses, brain, and skin= ectoderm). In response to this contact, man reacts in function (physiological) and dysfunction (pathological). The reaction takes place in the connective tissue (mesoderm). This reaction manifests itself as a disease. The symptoms express themselves in different ways with different characteristics, this can lead to a clinical picture.
Naturopathy
Naturopathy believes in a future in which the doctor will no longer give medication, but patients will be interested in the right care for the human body. It is important to think carefully about our diet, the causes, and the prevention of diseases. Thomas Edison once said it, natural medicine has adopted this as its motto.
Naturopathy stands for a collection of cures that some refer to as alternatives, others speak of a claim to man's self-healing capacity. These are treatments that have proven their right to exist in an independent application, but that are also particularly effective in combination with other treatments. In addition, it is a valuable complement to general medicine, always based on Evidence-based Medicine.
Neural therapy
Neural therapy is a treatment aimed at restoring regulation in the body through the vegetative or involuntary nervous system and removing blockages. This is done with injections of procaine or another short-acting local anesthetic. Neural therapy can be divided into segment therapy and disturbance field therapy.
Orthomanual therapy
‘A gentle form of manual therapy in which the so-called cracking is not involved'. Orthomanual therapy is a medical specialty that focuses on complaints of the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and nerves. Because the treatment aligns the skeleton, the pressure in the ligaments, tendons and muscles is normalized. This normalization has a restorative effect on the nervous system, which regulates all organ functions. The goal of this treatment is to make your complaints disappear. With this treatment, we also try to prevent headaches, migraines, abdominal pain and dizziness.
Orthomolecular medicine
Orthomolecular medicine is a form of treatment that uses a high dose of vitamins and natural nutrients to increase resistance and reduce or cure symptoms.
Orthomolecular medicine is a medicine based on the enormous healing power of really healthy food (preferably organic) and food supplements and the awareness/understanding that much higher doses of vitamins than the recommended daily amounts (RDA's), minerals, and trace elements can help to cure (and prevent) many chronic diseases.
Carl Riedel is an esteemed online researcher and writer, specializing in the intersection of technology and wellness. As a member of the International Association of Therapists, Carl brings a unique perspective to his work, skillfully integrating insights from therapy and digital trends. His articles help readers navigate the complexities of the digital age with an emphasis on promoting mental and emotional well-being.
