Complementary Therapies

P5 – explain the advantages and disadvantages of complementary therapies in maintaining health and wellbeing

In this assignment I will be explaining factors that affect access to complementary therapies; I will then explain how the use of complementary therapies is regulated. Then I will explain the principles and practises of complementary therapies I will then go on to discuss complementary therapies that are available for users of Health & Social Care services.

Acupuncture – this technique is also considered to be a complimentary therapy. Acupuncture is a type of an ancient Chinese medicine that has been practiced for thousands of years by the Chinese. This technique is basically where you inject refined needles that have been sterile into the patient’s body.

Acupuncture is a therapy that is offer to service users who are taking medication to help treat their disorder. Complementary therapies do not help to cure an individual of the disease they are

Around the world, nurses help care for people who are in need. There are many resources that nurses can use in order to provide this care. A few examples of these resources are medications, spirituality, and complementary therapies. A complementary therapy is a therapeutic technique that is often paired with an ongoing treatment. There are many different types of complementary therapies that can be used to help relieve pain, stress, and anxiety. Some therapies include music, pleasant smells, and even herbs. Sometimes complementary therapies are overlooked because nurses are not properly educated on how to either perform these therapies or do not know how these therapies can benefit a client. I chose this topic because I have seen how some of these therapies have helped people, and I want the world to embrace these resources rather than reject them. I once witnessed a form of music therapy bring a single person out of their shell and reduce their anxiety; this helped foster my belief that these therapies can be the difference in a client’s satisfaction level within the nursing field. Although this was the main reason why I chose this topic, my fascination with the past helped make the decision easier. I love learning how things have developed over time, and complementary therapies have been around for hundreds of years. My purpose within this paper is to inform nurses about the benefits of complementary therapies in order to help them embrace

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical treatment for multiple issues, and is characterized by needles being strategically inserted into pressure points on the body to relieve symptoms. This is believed to reset you qi or life force within your body. This practice is carried out by acupuncturists all over the world. In western medicine, while we don’t know the exact mechanism of action, it is thought to increase blood flow and raise natural painkiller levels in the body. This rise in natural painkillers and increased blood flow are the major benefits of acupuncture. The risks are very few, there is a very limited chance of organ damage, infection, or soreness after a treatment (Mayo Clinic 2012).

Acupuncture is an ancient art of healing that dates back to at least 2,500 years. It has been widely practiced in China and many other Asian countries. Only recently has acupuncture made its way into the western world. Acupuncture accentuates on the natural healing of the body. It involves stimulating acupuncture points by the insertion of very fine, solid, metallic needles.

In the early 1900’s antibiotic medications appeared thus decreasing the use of complementary and alternative therapies, however their popularity was regained in the 1970’s (Kramlich, 2014). The use of complementary and alternative therapies is an increasing trend that individuals seek out if they need relief from other medical approaches, if they feel they are missing something from Canada’s health care system, to increase over health and to prevent further illness. These therapies are a trend that has increased in the last two decades in Canada (Miller, 2001). A cross-sectional study was conducted by a Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) nationally, directing 400,055 Canadian’s ages thirteen and older in 2001 to 2007 to participate. The CCHS established that around 12% of Canadians used some form of complementary or alternative therapy aid in the past 12 months (Metcalfe et al, 2001). Debra Kramlich wrote an article titled “Introduction to Complementary, Alternative and Traditional Therapies” (2001) and compared statistics across numerous studies that were performed on complementary and alternative therapies. One study showed the rates of disclosure by individuals using complementary and alternative therapies. Two-thirds reported that they did not disclose their use of these therapies to their physicians. A cross-sectional survey discussed the increasing lack of disclosure rates in pregnant women that went from 1% in 2006 to 50% in 2013. A systematic review was briefly

Without going into details about the concept behind acupuncture, in practice, it works in a similar manner to a massage. The small needles are placed in strategic areas of your body that work to relax your muscles. The result is a reduction in pain, as it aids the body in its healing process. If you have never had acupuncture done before and are afraid of needles, do not be concerned. These needles are very thin and do not enter the skin deeply.

In ancient Chinese medicine, this therapy is said to affect a person's life force. If energy in an area of the body becomes stagnant, then that is the location that illness or pain will begin to display. So by stimulating the energy of that particular region, the symptoms will be alleviated. This is done by using long, thin needles pressed firmly into the skin. Sometimes, many needles have to be put all over the body for the therapy to be the most effective, but most people say that they actually feel very little pain from them.

Acupuncture is an ancient medical procedure that originated in China. Because acupuncture has been used to treat a broad range of health-related problems for more than 2,000 years, it is one of the oldest procedures known to man. Throughout history, acupuncture has evolved. Today, modern acupuncture is used to support traditional medical treatments or as a viable alternative.

Acupuncture is based on a traditional Chinese medicine system dating back over thousands of years. Wikipedia explains it as penetrating the skin with fine needles to stimulate certain points in the body.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice, which requires the insertion of thin metal needles at specific points on the body in order to treat many different types of conditions. It is first thought to have originated in China circa 2500 BCE, though some academics would argue it’s use, in a less developed form, up to 7,000 years

Although "Alternative" or "Complementary" medicine has been kept on the fringes of the medical sciences in the past, it is becoming increasingly more popular, and more reputable. Alternative medicines are those medical systems which are not taught to or practiced by most conventional medical doctors. Alternative medicines seemingly have always existed, changing and conforming to the current climate of society. There seems to be an almost endless number of alternative medicines, each with their own method of gaining perfect health. Often people who are dissatisfied with conventional medicine turn to alternative medicine for their medical needs. Many similarities link the diverse extremities of alternative medicine.

Massage involves working and acting on the body with pressure structured, unstructured, stationary, or moving tension, motion, or vibration, done manually or with mechanical aids. Massage can be applied with the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, feet, or a massage device. Massage can promote relaxation and well-being, can be a recreational activity, and can be sexual in nature .