In a world dominated by western medicine, why do people
seek alternative forms of healing?
Some Other Alternative Medicines
There are many, many forms of alternative medicine and practices available out there. We only had so much time and resources to cover as many as we could but nonetheless, we would like to shed light on a few more that are worth knowing about.
REIKI
Roughly meaning "healing light," which is derived from Japanese - rei (spirit) and ki (breath or lifeforce). According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Reiki is a spritual practice involving use of the hands on the body to promote flow of chakras in the body, which are energy fields that can facilitate wellness and healing.
Reiki is typically offered to help treat stress, but can be used to treat other spiritual, emotional, or physical ailments. While based in spiritual knowledge, Reiki is not in itself a religion and can be used by people of varying religous backgrounds.
Click here to find a list of over 20 local Manhattan, KS businesses that offer reiki.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic medicine, also referred as "spinal manipulation" by the NCCAM, is a practice used by some osteopathic physicians, naturopathic physicians, physical therapists, and specialists referred to as chiropractors.
Chiropractic works with the spine to help treat issues associated with the spine, as well as the hips, pelvis, and joints, according to Health Salary World. Common issues patients use chiropractic for are pain, stiffness, and alignment/function problems. It is more based in science and anatomy than some of the other methods discussed on this page, but studies have ranged chiropractic's effectiveness everywhere between "scientifically proven" to "inconclusive or ineffective," depending on the ailments treated.
Click here to find several practicing chiropractors in the Manhattan, KS area.
Homeopathy
Considered one of the more controversial healing practices, homeopathy is the use of medicines that produce symptoms similar to an ailment to treat it. For context, homeopaths often refer to traditional Western medicine as "allopathy," deriving from homeo- (same) and allo- (other or different).
Developed in Germany over 200 years ago, homeopathy uses doses of various herbs or chemicals that produce a certain symptom that a person already has. In essence, "like cures like," and creating a symptom one already has and effectively cancelling it out.
Homeopathy supplements are regulated by the FDA, but are not endorsed for their effectiveness and/or safety. Despite using doses similar to "conventional" pharmaceutical remedies, homeopathy often uses highly diluted products and is highly criticized for its reverse take on the scientific method.
Homeopathic clinics are harder to locate than some other forms of treatment, but some locations in the Kansas City area can be located here.