Alternative medical systems

Alternative medical systems are complete systems of diagnosis and practice.

Types of Complementary and Alternative Therapies

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ], [ 4 ], [ 5 ], [ 6 ]

Selected Therapies

Alternative medical systems	Description
Ayurveda (Ayurveda)	The traditional medical system of India, which dates back over 4,000 years, uses herbs, massage, yoga and therapeutic cleansing to restore balance to the body and nature. It is based on the balance of the 3 physical qualities (dosha): vata, pitta and kapha
Homeopathy	Originating in Germany in the late 1700s, homeopathy is a medical system based on the law of similars: a substance that, when given in large doses, causes a set of symptoms, can be expected to cure those same symptoms when given in small doses.
Naturopathy	Based on the healing power of nature, this system uses a combination of therapies including acupuncture, counseling, exercise therapy, herbal medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, natural childbirth, good nutrition, physical medicine and stress management.
Traditional Chinese Medicine	Originating in China over 2,000 years ago, this system uses acupuncture, herbs, massage and meditation exercises (qi gong) to restore balance to the body and nature. It is based on the 8 principles of yin and yang, which manifest in the body as heat and cold, internal and external, deficiency and excess.

Methods of body and mind

Biofeedback	Mechanical devices are used to provide information about physiological signals (e.g. VR, muscle activity) and teach patients to regulate these processes through conscious intention.
Guided Images	Mental images are used to relax and heal traumas and wounds (e.g. cancer, psychological trauma). The images can be from any of the five senses and can be self-directed or guided by the practitioner of the method.
Hypnotherapy	Patients are put into a state of attentive and focused concentration. They are absorbed in the images evoked by the hypnotherapist and may not be fully aware - without being unconscious - of where they are; they generally do not register their sensations as part of their consciousness.
Meditation	Meditation is the intentional self-regulation of attention or systematic mental focus on some aspect of internal or external experience. Most meditation techniques emerged in a religious or spiritual context; their ultimate goal was some form of spiritual growth, personal transformation, or transcendental experience. However, some practitioners suggest that, like medical interventions, meditation can be effective regardless of a person's cultural or religious background.
Relaxation techniques	These methods are specifically designed to detect the psychophysiological state of hyperarousal. They can be aimed at reducing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and VR, reducing muscle tension, slowing down metabolic processes or changing brain wave activity.