Alternative Health Care Providers

Alternative health care, also called complementary medicine, refers to practices outside of the Western medical tradition. However, many of these practices are becoming more mainstream. When considering an alternative health care provider, check out their qualifications. Each state has its own requirements for the licensing of alternative health care practitioners. Some health care insurance companies cover visits to alternative health care providers.

Chiropractic

• The ideas behind chiropractic treatment includes the body's ability to heal itself, and that the spine is crucial to healthy body function. Also referred to as spinal manipulation, chiropractic is performed by doctors who have graduated from chiropractic schools. Most patients seek out chiropractors for back or neck pain, other muscoloskeletal issues and headaches. With a typical chiropractic adjustment, the patient is placed in specific positions on a specially designed table, and the practitioner forces the joint beyond a normal range of motion. Several sessions are often necessary for the patient to feel results.

Acupuncture

• This ancient Chinese practice involves the insertion of thin needles along specific body points to promote healing. The belief is that acupuncture promotes the life force,or qi, to flow throughout the body for healing. Treatment generally lasts for twelve or more weekly sessions. The needles stay in place for approximately 20 minutes at each visit. Patients with a variety of conditions, including high blood pressure, joint pain, symptoms of menopause, headaches, and infertility seek treatment with acupuncture. Some veterinarians incorporate acupuncture into their practice with pets.

Homeopathy

• Developed in Germany in the late 18th century, homeopathic medicine is based on the belief that "like cures like." According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, this principle refers to the idea that "disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people" Homeopathic remedies derive from substances in the natural world, which are then diluted to where only its "essence" remains in the treatment. Homeopaths individualize each patient's treatment, often using several substances to address the complaint. Some people use homeopathy regularly as a means of maintaining health, while other seek it out for conditions such as allergies, emotional disorders, rashes, and gastrointestinal problems.