Alternative Therapies

Thalassotherapy (from the Greek word thalassa, meaning "sea") is the medical use of seawater as a form of therapy. It is based on the use of seawater, sea products, and the specific climate found near the shore. It is the properties of seawater that are believed to have beneficial effects upon the pores of the skin.

Some historians claim that thalassotherapy was developed in seaside towns in Brittany, France during the 19th century. Others claim that the practice of thalassotherapy is older: The origins of thermal baths and related treatments can be traced back to remote antiquity. Romans were firm believers in the virtues of thermalism and thalassotherapy.

The principle behind thalassotherapy is that repeated exposure to sea air and immersion in warm seawater, mud, clay, and protein-rich algae helps restore the body's natural chemical balance as seawater and human plasma are very similar. When immersed in warm seawater the body absorbs the minerals it needs, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, and iodide, through the skin.

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Apitherapy, or "bee therapy" (from the Latin apis which means bee) is the medicinal use of products made by honeybees including bee venom, honey, pollen, royal jelly, propolis, and beeswax.

This specific form of alternative therapy can be used to treat conditions such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis, wounds, pain, gout, shingles, burns, tendonitis, and infections.

Therapies involving the honeybee have existed for thousands of years and some may be as old as human medicine itself. The ancient rock art of early hunter-gatherers depicts the honeybee as a source of natural medicine. Bee venom therapy was practiced in ancient Egypt, Greece, and China—three Great Civilizations known for their highly developed medical systems. Hippocrates, the Greek physician known as the "Father of Medicine", recognized the healing virtues of bee venom for treating arthritis and other joint problems. Today, growing scientific evidence suggests that various bee products promote healing by improving circulation, decreasing inflammation, and stimulating a healthy immune response.

It is important to note that Apitherapy is not only the use of the venom for healing, often called Bee Sting Therapy, but the use of all the hive products, and usually a combination of them. These products are also sometimes mixed with other ingredients, specifically different essential oils, depending on which condition is being treated.

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Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mind, mood, cognitive function or health. These natural oils are extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to enhance psychological and physical well-being.

Some essential oils such as tea tree have demonstrated anti-microbial effects. Lemon oil on the other hand is known to be uplifting and an anti-stress/anti-depressant. Lavender, jasmine, chamomile, and peppermint are also commonly used for a variety of purposes.

The inhaled aroma from these "essential" oils is widely believed to stimulate brain function. Essential oils can also be absorbed through the skin, where they travel through the bloodstream and can promote whole-body healing.

Aromatherapy can be applied through aerial diffusion, for environmental fragrancing or aerial disinfection; direct inhalation, for respiratory disinfection, decongestion, expectoration as well as psychological effects; and topical application, for general massage, baths, compresses, and therapeutic skin care.

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Ozone therapy is a form of alternative medicine treatment that purports to increase the amount of oxygen to the body through the introduction of ozone into the body. Various methods have been suggested on the method of introducing the ozone into the body, and the theorized benefits of this therapy include the treatment of various diseases including cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, among others.

The use of ozone in a healthcare setting first began back in 1856.  It was used to disinfect operating rooms and sterilize surgical instruments.  By the end of the 19th century, ozone was also being used to disinfect drinking water and had been used in the First World War to disinfect wounds.

Ozone therapy consists of introducing ozone into the body via various methods, either by injecting the gas directly into the body or through autohemotherapy in which blood is drawn from the patient, exposed to ozone and re-injected into the patient’s bloodstream.

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Low-level laser therapy is a medical treatment the uses light-emitting diodes to alter cellular function. Depending on location, dose, wavelength, timing, pulsing and duration, laser therapy is suggested to be effective for relieving short-term pain for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, acute and chronic neck pain, tendinopathy, chronic joint disorders, as well as lower back pain, dentistry, and the healing of wounds.

Laser therapy works by lowering levels of cellular influx and by stimulating mitochondrion to increase the production of certain cell types and enzymes necessary for the healing process.

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Electrotherapy is the use of electrical energy as a medical treatment. In medicine, the term electrotherapy can be applied to a variety of treatments, including the use of electrical devices such as deep brain stimulators for neurological disease. The term has also been applied specifically to the use of electric current to speed the healing of wounds. Additionally, the term electrotherapy or "electromagnetic therapy" has been used to refer to a range of alternative medical devices and treatments.

The use of electrotherapy has been research and accepted in the field of rehabilitation. The American Physical Therapy Association acknowledges the use of electrotherapy for pain management, treatment of neuromuscular dysfunction, improving range of joint mobility, tissue repair, acute and chronic edema, improving peripheral blood flow, iontophoresis, incontinence, and to relax muscle spasms, prevent muscle atrophy, drug delivery, and to prevent venous thrombosis.

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Magnet therapy, magnetic therapy or magnotherapy is an alternative medicine practice involving the use of static magnetic fields.  Practitioners claim that by using magnets of vary size and strength, they can achieve beneficial health benefits.  The magnets work by altering the electromagnetic impulses that the human body naturally gives off.  The most common use of magnet therapy is to improve blood flow in underlying tissue and to relieve pain.

Current products include magnetic bracelets and jewelry, magnetic straps for ankles, wrists, knees and the back, shoe insoles, blankets, cream, supplements, plasters and even water.  Magnet therapy proponents claim that these products can relieve pain caused by arthritis, headaches, migraine headaches, stress, promote the healing of broken bones, improve circulation, reverse degenerative diseases, strengthen the body’s natural healing process and even cure cancer.

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Reflexology, or “zone therapy,” is an alternative medicine involving the physical act of applying pressure to the feet, hands, or ears with specific thumb, finger, and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion.  It is based on what reflexologists claim to be a system of zones and reflex areas that they say reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands, with the premise that such work effects a physical change to the body.  The idea is that different areas on the foot correspond to different areas of the body and that by manipulating these areas on the feet, one can improve overall health.

This alternative therapy posits that the blockage of an energy field can prevent healing.  This energy can be released through manipulation of the feet and be used to balance the nervous system or release chemicals such as endorphins that reduce stress and pain.  Other therapeutic treatments such as acupressure and acupuncture rely on a similar theory. 

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