Focus On Alternative Medicine

Alternative medicine; A new choice for you?

Today we are talking about alternative medicine.
Alternative medicines are referred to as methods of healing that use different methods to those that are commonly used by doctors today. This is characterized by the use of nature, ancestral knowledge and listening, in order to eradicate the pains we may be experiencing in our organisms. The healing process emanating from these alternative methods is not considered to be one long, calm river... The results often take a long time to achieve, but let’s not lose patience before we even start!

It goes without saying that most of these medicines work according to the state of mind in which the particular person is in, usually referring to his or her psychological state, allowing him (if he is positive) to get physiological results.

I will give you a brief presentation of the 5 most common alternative medicines, which are acupuncture, homeopathy, mesotherapy, osteopathy and naturopathy.

Acupuncture: This traditional Chinese medicine technique stimulates specific areas of the epidermis using fine needles. But what are these specific areas? According to Chinese medicine, the Qi or "Vital energy" circulates via meridians (channels of the human body, which are interconnected) and keep the body in a harmonious balance. Needles are carefully applied to specific points located along the meridians.

Homeopathy: a spiritual story! It is based on the belief that the body has the capacity to heal itself. This alternative medicine looks to heal a sufferer, by administering “placebo” substances. This strategy aims to stimulate the body so that it recovers on its own. The effects of this manoeuver suggest subjective effects due to this placebo effect and the natural evolution of the disease.

Mesotherapy: The mission of this alternative medication involves the local and superficial injection of low doses of medication at the point of the painful area. But let's not be afraid, the injected products originate from general medicine. Mesotherapy is mainly used in the context of pain relief. Small contribution from Dr. Pistor: "Inject little, rarely, in the right place".

Osteopathy concerns the manipulation of energies and the skeleton. Osteopathy is centered on functional and psychosomatic disorders, ruling out pathological problems and rehabilitation in physiotherapy. Different osteopaths follow different procedures.

Naturopathy; a saga of weight and joy! Naturopathy seeks to rebalance the body through simple procedures, such as diet, lifestyle, sporting activity in connection with nature.

Of course, not all of these alternative medicines are classified as “exact” sciences! But why is that?

According to certain research works: acupuncture and homeopathy have no specific efficacy, but could lead to real neuropsychological or neurophysiological mechanisms, using the placebo effect.

As for mesotherapy, it has not yet been sufficiently studied to know its benefit/risk ratio. And osteopathy has not been scientifically proven, hence its qualification as a pseudo-medicine.