Rejecting Conventional Therapies
Slowly but surely, the health community is reviving its interest in alternative medicine. In response to this, patients are now scurrying in search of alternative remedies. Overall, patients and disease sufferers have transformed their mode of thinking and their perception of disease as a whole.
While the body was initially believed to be the source of disease, it is now looked upon as an infinite source of healing in many respects. Western medicine contends that through external aid, a patient can be restored to health. However, this is a limiting belief system that constrains natural healing processes.
Fibromyalgia patients can improve their wellbeing by combining the most effective therapies. Furthermore, many patients prefer to combine western medication with homeopathic remedies. Every person is different, and different bodies will respond uniquely to the same treatment regimen.
Western medications are not the sole means of recovery in the context of this condition. Just as homeopathic remedies are designated as an alternative, conventional meds should remain an option as well (instead of a health requirement).
Depending on the severity of one’s condition, conventional forms of medication may be compulsory, especially if that person’s livelihood depends on it. However, if a patient feels that their symptoms are manageable without Western medicine, they reserve the right to seek alternative treatments elsewhere.
Why People Choose Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicine is a really divisive subject matter. Many people ridicule the chemically induced side effects of conventional meds, and opt for alternative treatments instead.
While fibromyalgia medication has a proven track record of efficiency and potency, it can produce side effects such as severe fatigue, suicidal thoughts, cardiovascular issues, and much more. These effects are often triggered by antidepressant medications.
For this reason, many people have chosen to harness their body’s natural healing potential. While some disregard the effectiveness of homeopathic methods, others invest their hopes in these all-natural therapies.
In terms of nondrug, alternative treatments for fibromyalgia, the most popular methods include trigger point therapy, deep tissue massage, shiatsu massage, biofeedback, acupuncture, meditation, reiki meditation, herbal remedies healthy dieting, and much more. As it turns out, antidepressants are not the only prescribed mode of treatment for such patients.
Reiki Energy Therapy
Reiki energy therapy is a Japanese healing technique designed to harness and focus bodily energy. This treatment is used to alleviate pain and depression, as well.
As one may observe in Chinese medicine, reiki energy therapy utilizes qi, a universal life force that flows throughout the entire human body. When the energy flow of qi is obstructed, it gives rise to painful blockages that yield disease.
Many patients turn to spiritual, energetic therapies to remove blockages from their energy pathways, and experience pain relief. Some people, however, have mastered reiki therapy without professional aid.
Herbal and Food Based Therapies
Some people with fibromyalgia rely on nature to treat their illness. They recognize the bounty of healing herbs and foods in nature, and utilize these herbs accordingly. For example, capsaicin, a natural pain relief chemical, is found in pepper plants.
Substance P, a chemical in capsaicin, is known to reduce painful sensations. Those who rely on herbal remedies incur amazing, short-term benefits. Vitamin D and magnesium are also known to counteract the presence of pain and improve muscle function. The best source of Vitamin D is undoubtedly the sun.
Food, when consumed properly, can be the most powerful therapy of all in some cases. As noted, magnesium based foods are highly recommended for people who suffer from this condition. Magnesium rich foods include leafy green vegetables, lentils and beans, almonds, fish, avocados, bananas, and dried fruit.
Of course, not every food source embodies healing potential. In fact, many foods exacerbate circumstances for fibromyalgia patients. These patients are advised to exclude sugar, caffeine, nightshade vegetables and processed fats and dairy from their diet.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture provides fibromyalgia patients with immediate relief. When small, acupuncture needles are inserted into the body, painful, neural pathways are suppressed and redirected. These needles are twisted and moved gently in order to counteract the pain associated of this condition. Every site in the body has a corresponding acupuncture point, that when activated, produces the intended effect. This produces rapid, short term results, and it modifies how the brain perceives pain.
Melatonin Therapy
Most fibromyalgia patients suffer from sleep disturbances that intensify their symptoms. In a cyclical turn of events, their symptoms then produce more sleeplessness. Melatonin, a naturally synthesized chemical, regulates sleep cycles. For this reason, a melatonin deficiency may render one sleepless and agitated in most cases. Melatonin treatments are an alternative mode of therapy specifically designed to enhance melatonin production and promote sleep and recovery.
Biofeedback Therapy
Biofeedback is an interesting form of alternative medicine. And like all therapies listed in this article, it does not require any pharmaceuticals whatsoever. It instead relies extensively on the power of the mind and perception to guide the course of pain reduction and other forms of symptomatic alleviation.
During sessions, patients become more acquainted with their bodies, while modifying how pain is perceived. Once electrodes are attached to the skin, bodily sensations are then presented as visuals or sounds. With the aid of biofeedback, many patients have learned to exercise mild control over temperature, blood pressure, pain, headaches, and more. With this said, the mind can control functions that are widely regarded as phenomena of the body.
Trigger Point Massage
Trigger points comprise tightly bound muscle fibers. When compressed, these nodules are often accompanied by soreness and tenderness. In many cases, trigger point pain radiates to other areas of the body.
Trigger point massage therapists employ pressure techniques to smooth and relax these tense muscle nodules. This is an interactive form of massage therapy, as the patient must breathe deeply at certain intervals of time and identify the location of the trigger points. Trigger point massage therapy may be performed with a small, soft, massage ball in the comfort of one’s home, as well.
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