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There are twice as many alternative therapists as GPs in Britain... the range of treatments on offer is frankly bewildering, and some of the claims made are perhaps unrealistic. However, there is no doubt that some complementary therapies do work, and they are increasingly available alongside traditional treatments at your local health centre.
On the following pages, we offer a summary of information on complementary
and alternative medicine (CAM) from A to Z. Click on a letter to view
those topics.
See acupuncture (below) for more details. Acupressure is the version without needles. Pressure is applied with the fingers and thumbs or with implements.
An ancient Chinese therapy, first recorded in 300 BC and based on Taoist principles. Fine needles are placed in the specific energy channels or meridians of the body, and left for up to 20 minutes. Safe and painless, the evidence for its efficacy is mixed. It has been scientifically substantiated for pain relief and treatment of nausea, but is not successful at helping people to quit smoking. There is some evidence that it can help in rehabilitation after a stroke. Practitioners use it to treat a range of problems, from arthritis to high blood pressure.
Developed by an Australian actor, F M Alexander, who lost his voice and decided the problem was bad posture, Alexander Technique is a body realignment therapy which aims to allow the spine to reach its maximum length by improving the relative positions of the head, neck and back. More gentle than you might expect from this description, it is undoubtedly effective in treating back pain, RSI and stress-related tension. Alexander Technique is taught in classes, rather than offered as a 'medical' therapy.
First described as a treatment by a French chemist, René-Maurice Gattefossé, in 1928, aromatherapy uses essential oils extracted from plants and applied in dilute form through massage, baths or inhalation. Often promoted as a treatment for stress, there is some disagreement about whether it is the oils that are achieving the relaxing effect, or just the massage. However, Gattefossé made his initial breakthrough when he scalded his hand while working in a perfume laboratory, and accidentally plunged it into a container of lavender oil rather than water... It healed so much faster and more cleanly than he expected, that he then went on to work on dermatological uses of the oils. Considerable work was later done by Jean Valnet, a French army surgeon, who achieved some success in treating battlefield burns and injuries with essential oils. There is no doubt that essential oils are powerful substances - the question asked by the sceptics is whether massaging them onto the skin in weak dilutions can really achieve what some therapists claim.
A sideline to acupuncture, this is acupuncture of the outer ear, which is said to house 200 auricular points, and act as a 'switchboard to the brain'. Some success has been claimed in treating drug dependency.
The oldest formalised system of medicine in the world, this traditional Indian practice is based on the principle that energy (prana) is carried through canals in the body, and that different personality types require different medicines. Herb and mineral based treatments are used, alongside yoga, diet and meditatino, in a holistic approach to health. This therapy is offered in some 3000 Indian hospitals, and is particularly popular in rural areas.
Edward Bach (pronounce 'batch') was a Harley Street doctor who developed his range of remedies from homeopathic principles. Essences are distilled from 38 varieties of wild flower, and these are supposed to balance the body, counteracting any negative feelings, so that it can heal itself. You are supposed to diagnose your own problem, then sip water containing a few drops of the appropriate flower remedy until you feel better. The Bach Rescue Remedy is a combination of five flower essences, designed as a panacea to help you cope with any stressful situation you can imagine.
The underlying principle of this massage-based treatment, which was developed by Gerda Boyesen in Norwegian psychiatric hospitals, is that the psyche exists in the physical body, with emotions being literally digested by the body's organs.
In the 1900s, a German doctor, Wilhelm Fleiss, first presented the notion that a person's physical, mental and emotional states move through regular cycles, which can be tracked and predicted. More a diagnostic tool than a therapy, knowledge of your individual biorhythms is supposed to help you choose the best time to undertake particular projects, and put you on your guard at times whan you are more likely to be accident-prone...
A general term for a range of therapies developed from the work of renegade Freudian analyst Wilhelm Reich, in the 1920s. What they have in common is that they combine traditional psychoanalysis with massage. The variants include Gestalt body psychotherapy, hakomi, bioenergetics, biodynamics, biosynthesis, emotional anatomy.
Anti-stress therapy which combines traditional Indian head massage (champi) with general massage of the face, shoulders and upper arms.
Traditional Indian foot massage (masseur's feet, not yours!) The masseur hangs from a rope and works their feet up and down your spine.
Presented as an alternative to heart bypass surgery (though apparently without any evidence to substantiate it) this is a costly treatment for cardio-vascular problems based on injections of EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra acid), which was originally developed as an antidote to lead poisoning.
No argument about the efficacity of this one. Practitioners manipulate the spine and bodily extremities to reduce pain and increase mobility. Unlike osteopathy, which works on muscles and ligaments, chiropractic focuses on the joints. The idea is that by stimulating neural receptors in the joints, positive feedback will be delivered to the part of the brain relating to that part of the body. Developed by a Canadion, D D Palmer in 1895, it is now so well accepted as a treatment in Britain, that it is regulated by an Act of Parliament.
First popular in the early 20th century, colonic irrigation - or colonic hydrotherapy -involves pumping up to 20 gallons of warm water into the colon, using a 20 - 30 inch length of tubing. The idea is that this washes out any accumulated toxins - mucus, fecal matter and gas - from the colon, leaving you feeling lighter and healthier. Internal inspections using a camera have, however, demonstrated that there is nothing left stuck to the colon walls anyway, whilst there is a very real risk of damaging the colon by undergoing the treatment.
In the 1940s, Swiss psychologist Dr Max Lüscher developed this therapy, which involves studying your aura (the coloured emanations which apparently surround your body and are normally invisible to any but trained therapists). Based on what they see, sometimes through a Kilner screen, which is made from two sheets of glass with cyanide dye in between, they may prescribe colour breathing (think of a colour while you breathe), wearing clothes of a particular colour, drinking rainbow water (the regular stuff in a coloured container) or focusing sunlight on specific parts of the body.
A very gentle form of manipulation performed on the head and first few neck vertebrae. Originally developed by a Missouri osteopath, Dr William G Sutherland in the 1930s, the movements are tiny and gentle. It is sometimes practised on babies and small children; sceptics counter claims from adult patients that they have received relief from headache, neck pain, etc, by saying that the bones of the adult skull are fused, and cannot be moved independently.
Based on the idea that crystals both absorb and transmit energy, and can therefore be used to regulate fluctuating vibrations in the body. It is important to choose a crystal that is right for you, clean it thoroughly - in cool water, by burying it in clean earth or passing it through incense smoke. It should then be dedicated by asking for what you want; tuned to your individual vibrations, and put somewhere it feels happy to do its work...
A variant on acupressure. A healing substance is burnt in a cup, which is then upturned on the patient's skin for five or ten minutes. Little to support its usefulness - and it can certainly cause local skin damage to the area where it is placed.
Developed by Marian Chace in the United States in the 1940s, the principle here is that the dance movements we choose to make are a physical expression of the state of our psyche, which can then be helped back to health if necessary through further movement techniques.
Exactly as it sounds, the treatment involves the patient touching a dolphin - the idea being that energy is transferred between the two. Hard to prove anything scientifically, but there is evidence to suggest that it can help with a range of emotional problems, including anorexia.
A cone shaped device inserted in the ear canal sounds risky - and it is. The idea is to use smoke or a burning wick to extract wax from the ear, by creating a low level vacuum which sucks out any wax.
As with dolphin therapy, this involves an interaction between human patient and mammal. From simple tension reduction through stroking the horse, equine therapy has grown in popularity and is now often used to help patients with a range of conditions from cerebral palsy to autism. An interesting development is in the States, where a number of equine therapy centres are treating bulimia and anorexia - it is helpful to restore a more accurate self image when you can compare yourself with a horse.
Developed by Moshe Feldenkrais, an Israeli engineer and expert on judo, a series of movements is designed to enable you to see the way that different parts of the body move more clearly, so that old habits of movement which had been causing problems, can be eliminated.
Sensory deprivation as therapy. Based on work done in the 1950s by American psychoanalyst Dr John Lilly into the disorienting effects of sensory deprivation. Achieved by floating in a solution of Epsom salts in a dark room - no more claustrophobic tanks these days.
A theory that our health is indirectly affected by environmental elements, from natural phenomena such as underground streams, to man-made objects, like pylons. This is associated with Feng Shui, the oriental philosophy relating to alignment of buildings and their contents to promote good fortune, health and energy.
An extreme sounding 'spiritual' therapy developed by Dr Max Gerson. Claims, without scientific corroboration, to cure cancer, tuberculosis and heart conditions. It involves daily consumption of up to 20lbs of organic fruit and vegetables, mainly juiced, and taking your coffee anally. Therapists warn that it will take 40 - 50 hours a week to follow their prescriptions.
Healing is also known as 'laying on of hands'. It used to be referred to as faith healing - but as it requires no faith on the part of the patient, this term is no longer used. Healers believe that they can channel energy from an external source to effect a cure. There is contradictory evidence - one study apparently shows healers preventing the growth of cancer cells in a laboratory, but a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 found no evidence to suggest that a human energy field could be detected or used.
A deep massage combined with psychotherapy and body realignment, with the aim of improving posture. It was developed in the United States by Joseph Heller, physicist and first president of the Rolf Institute, and is related to Rolfing (see below).
Traditional herbal remedies actually form the basis for about a quarter of the medicines now used in science-based medicine, and pharmaceutical companies are working on the analysis of many rain forest plants, which may have healing properties we don't yet know about. Aspirin is a well known example of a herbal remedy which is now synthesised and used routinely by orthodox practitioners. The Chinese herbal remedy Artemisia annua has been found to be effective against resistant malaria and could give hope of preventing many of the 800,000 deaths among children from severe malaria each year.
Perhaps the best established alternative therapy in the western world, homeopathy was first established in the late 18th century by a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann. The underlying principle is that a tiny amount of something that causes the symptoms of your condition, will cure it. Because homeopathy sees a sick person, rather than an illness to be treated, prescribing is complex, with subtle differences between one individual and another resulting in different remedies being proposed. Sceptics say that the tiny dilutions employed in homeopathy are such that it would be impossible for them to achieve any effect, and scientific proof is certainly hard to come by - yet homeopathy is extremely popular, becoming quite widely available in the NHS, and there is a considerable amount of anecdotal evidence as to its efficacy - even in treating animals, who presumably are less prone to the placebo effect.
How many people say, half jokingly, that their garden keeps them sane? Well, pottering with plants is now recognised as a useful therapy for many people, including drug addicts and the mentally ill.
There was a belief in the late 18th and 19th centuries, that water could dissolve away diseased matter in the body. Nowadays, proponents of hydrotherapy - which is probably more popular in Europe than Britain - claim that it helps with stress, pain relief, fever, fluid retention, constipation, circulation. The baths are aerated, like a Jacuzzi, and use both warm and cold water, depending on the condition being treated.
Approved by the BMA for nearly 50 years, hypnotherapy, during which the patient and therapist interact, unlike hypnosis, is useful for pain relief, to help combat stress, and is used to treat a range of conditions with a psychological aspect, including eating disorders and substance abuse.
An iridologist will make a diagnosis by studying the coloured part (iris) of the eye. The belief is that, in the early stages of a disease, small changes occur in the iris - however, studies in which iridologists were given pictures of the eyes of people with various illnesses, showed them to be unable to detect these.
Developed by an American chiropractor, Dr George Goodheart, in 1964, kinesiology employs a combination of massage, magnets, nutrition and contact points on the body to find and deal with any 'imbalances'. There is no evidence to support its therapeutic value.
Developed in the United States during the 1990s, this is a variation on a traditional massage with oil, in which pieces of hot volcanic rock and cool marble are placed on the body. Very relaxing.
Most people discover for themselves how much better laughter can make them feel. Now this knowledge has been developed into a therapy in the UK by Robert Holden, who has encapsulated his teachings thus: "The pursuit of happiness must always fail because it is based on a lie - happiness is not outside you. Until you get this, you will never quite make it!"
A treatment based on the use of natural or artifical light to counteract a range of complaints from colds to jetlag. Its most conspicuous success is in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), where sufferers become depressed by the short, cold days of winter. An 85% success rate has been claimed for treating this condition. Light therapy is also used as a cancer treatment, but this application is rather more controversial.
Developed by a French ear, nose and throat specialist, Professor Alfred A Tomatis, listening therapy asserts that the muscles of the middle ear are active rather than passive, and can therefore be trained. With the emphasis on listening (active) rather than hearing (passive) sounds are communicated through headphones to the patient, in order to train the ear. Used as a treatment for autism and other forms of disturbed behaviour, it is also applied to conditions which affect the middle ear, such as tinnitis, vertigo and Ménière's disease.
Translates as 'loving hands' - a traditional Hawaiian massage using long flowing strokes with the heel and palm of the hand.
A variant on regular chiropractic, McTimoney is very gentle, and recommended for pregnant women and young children. It claims sucess with children behavioural and coordination problems, such as ADD (attention deficit disorder) and dyspraxia.
The theory behind this is that magnetism, whether in the form of magnetically charged items or pulses of electromagnetic energy, can restore the correct electromagnetic balance of the body's cells - possibly by improving blood circulation and thus the supply of oxygen to the cells - relieving pain and sickness. Advocates either wear magnets - in the form of jewellery such as bracelets, or in pads that can be positioned on painful parts of the body, or they dose themselves with pulses of magnetic energy from a portable generator attached to pads or straps. There is little evidence to support the claims, but a recent double-blind trial among post-polio sufferers produced findings of pain relief that could not be explained by the placebo effect.
A general term used to embrace all the variations on chiropractic and osteopathy.
Developed in the 1960s by British reflexologist Robert St John, the practitioner lightly touches 'spinal reflexes', which are points on the hands, feet and head. This is supposed to bypass your old energy patterns, thus freeing energy for you to create new, more appropriate patterns.
A variant on acupuncture practised by some traditional Chinese acupuncturists, where dried leaves of artemisia vulgaris or artemisia sinensis are burnt. The herbal 'moxa sticks' are either attached to the acupuncture needles or placed on the patient's skin.
A therapeutic approach that is particularly helpful for those who find difficulty in fully expressing themselves verbally. During a session, the patient and therapist play, sing and listen to music. It is used with people with autism, dementia and various forms of emotional disturbance or impaired communication. Increasingly, people without specific problems are turning to music and art therapy as ways of better understanding themselves.
The underlying principle is that the body is its own best healer, and that it is constantly directing its energies towards cleansing, repairing and restoring positive health. Disease is therefore a manifestation of the body's efforts in this direction, so symptoms should not be suppressed, but rather efforts should be made to identify the real problem and eliminate it. Naturopaths believe that many chronic illnesses are the result of misguided attempts to prevent the body from doing its self-repairing work, by suppressing the symptoms which are a part of this process. A holistic approach is taken in naturopathy, with a combination of dietary, psychological and physical therapies to achieve physical, mental and emotional balance.
Also referred to by the abbreviation NLP. A motivational therapy, this is a behavioural technique based on the spoken word and developed in California, which claims to be able to help you overcome negative patterns of thought and behaviour, and to achieve your goals.
Food as therapy - this takes the premise that we are what we eat, and asserts that each person should have a unique diet which has been matched to their individual biochemistry. The fundamentals include the same commonsense dietary guidelines issued by health professionals everywhere, but on top of that is much testing of hair samples for food intolerances, so that a personal eating regime can be designed, to help you achieve optimum health.
Developed by Linus Pauling, a double Nobel prize winner, the underlying principle of orthomolecular therapy is that changing the levels of various chemicals in the body can influence health. The one example of this theory which everyone has heard about, is that megadosing yourself with vitamin C will stop you catching colds. Unfortunately, a lot of high quality research exists to prove that vitamin C does not prevent colds. The theory also took a battering when it was revealed that Hoffman-La Roche, the world's largest vitamin C manufacturer, was also the biggest corporate donor to the Linus Pauling Institute.
The first CAM therapy to be officially recognised in Britain, osteopathy is a manipulative technique developed in America during the Civil War, by Doctor Andrew Still. Primarily used for treating lower back pain, it works on the muscles and ligaments, combining massage, spine cracking and gentle manipulation to restore efficient blood supply by realigning the vertebrae. Some osteopaths use it to treat a range of disorders from breathing problems to headache and digestive disorders. It is regulated by the 1993 Osteopathy Act.
Dr Otto Warburg, a double Nobel prize winner, developed this theory that harmful bacteria and viruses need a low oxygen environment in order to survive, therefore increasing oxygen levels in the body should prevent or cure conditions from HIV to herpes - even cancer. Patients may be given dilute hydrogen peroxide to drink, or oxygen can be introduced directly into the bloodstream via an intravenous drip with ozone or hydrogen peroxide. There are some clear hazards associated with oxygen or ozone therapy, not least the risk of hydrogen peroxide damaging the kidneys on its way through.
Detox Indian-style - a cleansing treatment using massage, emetics, purges and purvakarma therapy (see below).
A discipline that is very popular with dancers, Pilates was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates, and involves improving the posture through strengthening the abdominal muscles, thus relieving pressure on the spine. The essence of the system is a set of exercises that are repeated very carefully a set number of times, to build strength.
A western offshoot of ayurveda, developed by an Austrian, Randolph Stone, in the 1920s. The therapy involves a mixture of head and body massage, yoga, hydrotherapy, counselling and nutritional advice, and rests on the belief that the top and right-hand part of the body are positively charged, while the bottom and left-hand part have a negative charge.
Prana is a Sanskrit word meaning 'life force'. Pranic healers claim to study the invisible (except presumably to them) energy field which surrounds the body for evidence of disease, and effect a cure without making physical contact.
Part of the panchakarma detoxification therapy, a traditional Indian treatment in which special oils are administered through the skin, mouth and anus.
A discipline of traditional Chinese medicine, qi means energy and gong is practice. Qigong masters perform external qigong as a healing therapy; adherents practise its combination of loose, gentle stretches with controlled breathing, as a means of achieving relaxation.
Developed by an American doctor, Albert Abrams, in the early 20th century, radionics entails a belief that healing can be achieved remotely, with the therapist detecting and counteracting the diseased energy vibration across the ether.
An American therapist, Eunice Ingham, first codified the principles which govern reflexology, namely that specific zones on the feet correspond to different parts of the body, and are therefore affected by the state of health of that part, and can in turn be used to influence the area or organ beneficially. Applying firm but gentle pressure systematically over the surface of the feet, the reflexologist can apparently feel tiny crystals of lactic acid in areas that correspond to a weakness or illness in the body. They continue to work on the area until the initial feeling of discomfort has passed, and in this way release blocked energy to improve the health of the related organ or body part.
A Japanese therapy developed from an amalgam of Buddhist and Sanskrit teachings in the early 20th century, Reiki means 'universal life energy'. Primarily a philosophy of life, the main precept is the importance of living in the present. "Just for today, do not worry". Reiki healers treat their clients by placing their hands lightly on their body, with the intention of bringing healing, and willing the Reiki energy to flow. They also believe that healing can be achieved at a distance, by visualising or objectifying the intended recipient of the healing energy and directing their intent towards them.
See also HellerWork. Developed in New York in the 1930s, by Ida Rolf, rolfing is a holistic system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education designed to address the way that gravity effects the body. Ida Rolf called her system Structural Integration, but it is much more often referred to by its nickname, "Rolfing". It is seen as a way to ease pain and chronic stress, and to improve performance in daily activities. Caution: Rolfing is a deep and strong massage therapy - for some clients, that equates to pain!
A mystical process, shamanic healing claims to use the friendly support of spirit helpers and power animals to retrieve lost parts of the psyche, and drive out unwanted energies from your life. Unwanted energies may manifest themselves as almost anything, from depression, through coma and addiction to major illness or bad dreams. Healing can be accomplished on the spot or at a distance, alone or in conjunction with orthodox medicine.
A variation of Alexander Technique applied to swimming. Steven Shaw swam competitively as a teenager, but found that he was enjoying it less and less, and hurting more and more. Through Alexander Technique he learned that the way he moved in the pool was counter-productive: because of tension and poor alignment he was not deriving the benefit that was possible from swimming, nor improving his speed and stamina as he wanted. The Shaw Technique is his method for overcoming fear and tension in water, so that you can swim comfortably, without stress, and gain maximum benefit from the exercise.
Massage carried out with the forearms, rather than the hands. The technique was developed in Britain by Gerry Pyves, a successful traditional masseur, who realised that he was developing such pain from the repetitive use of his hands and fingers in his work, that he could no longer continue in the same way. An intensely relaxing, deep tissue massage.
A Japanese development of Chinese acupuncture - but without needles.
The basic philosophy is that vital energy (known as Ki in Japanese) flows
through your body in channels called meridians. If the Ki stops flowing
freely for any reason, this produces symptoms if disease. The Shiatsu
practitioner uses a variety of techniques to improve the energy flow,
including gentle holding, pressing with palms, thumbs, fingers, elbows,
knees and feet on the meridians and, when appropriate, more dynamic rotations
and stretches. It has been independently verified as successful in combating
the nausea caused by chemotherapy.
Developed in the 19th century by a Swedish physiologist, Per Henrik Ling, this is the first organized and systematic method of modern massage therapy in the western world.
An ancient Chinese discipline, and part of the repertoire of Chinese traditional medicine, T'ai Chi consists of a set of flowing physical movements synchronised with breathing, which encourage the development of balance, good timing, and physical integration. It aims to stimulate and regulate the flow of chi - or qi - (energy) so that you are able to become a more willing participant in the process of change, understanding that it is inevitable anyway.
Melaleuca alternifolia is a fairly recent introduction to western therapies, though it has been used for centuries by the aboriginal peoples of Australia, where it grows. Ti Tree (or Tea Tree, as it is also known) is unusual and highly valued because it is active against all three categories of infection - viral, fungal and bacterial. It also stimulates the immune systems, so helping the body to fight off infections. Enthusiastically embraced by aromatherapists, it is also used by naturopaths and other holistic healers, to treat a range of conditions from cold sores, candida and verrucas to acne, flu and even glandular fever.
An electrical variation on acupuncture - a portable machine delivers small electrical pulses via pads which are placed on or near the area of pain. These travel through the skin and along the nerve fibres to suppress pain signals to the brain. It is always controlled by the user, not a therapist. Tens also encourages the body to produce higher levels of its own natural pain killing chemicals called endorphins and encephalins. It is used for pain relief in a wide variety of situations, from childbirth to rheumatism, post-surgical pain, shingles... it has also been shown to reduce nausea during chemotherapy. Whilst not effective for everybody who tries it, Tens does seem to deliver a high degree of relief for some.
Part of traditional Thai medicine, this combines gentle stretching with acupressure and being placed in yoga-like positions. It is sometimes rather derisively known as 'lazy man's yoga'. The therapist applies pressure in flowing sequences, using their feet, hands and elbows, to stimulate the flow of energy through the sen channels (meridians in acupuncture).
A light and gentle massage system developed nearly 70 years ago by a physician named Milton Trager, which uses rhythmic movements to release muscle tension. The practitioner works in a meditative state known as 'hook up', and aims to reach into the patient's unconscious during the treatment. It is claimed to be helpful for people with chronic neuromuscular pain, including back problems and sciatica, and has also been advocated for stress-related conditions, high blood pressure, strokes, migraine, and asthma. In between treatment sessions, there are relaxation exercises to be practised, known as Mentastics (mental gymnastics).
Pronounced 'tween - ah' and part of Chinese traditional medicine, this is a massage therapy which has been practised for some 2,300 years. It works on the energy channels and points, using the same principles as acupuncture, but with hands and fingers, rather than needles. Using a wide variety of techniques (soft or hard, superficial or deep, general or more precise, slow or fast, etc.) the practitioner can balance the Qi (energy), and thus the internal organs on which the health of a person’s body and mind depend. It is claimed to be effective for back pain, headaches, arthritis, RSI, trapped nerves, sports injuries, as well as stress, digestive problems, painful or irregular periods, etc.
Urine therapy refers to ingesting your own urine in order to prevent or cure sickness, to enhance beauty or to cleanse the system. Most enthusiasts drink the midstream of their morning urine. The reasoning behind this practice is that the kidneys are excreting many elements that the body does not apparently require in order for the chemical balance of the blood to remain constant - but that nevertheless, these have medicinal value, and when reintroduced to the body, may boost the immune defenses and stimulate healing.
This technique was developed as a response to the discovery made by Jean Pierre Barral that the body's internal organs are in a state of constant motion, moving forward and away from the midline of the body at a rate of 7-8 cycles per minute. According to practitioners, complete health is only possible when this motion between the organs and their connective tissues is free and open. Various factors are thought to impede it, including surgery and scar formation, stress and trauma. Visceral manipulation uses specific 'soft manual forces' to restore normal mobility and tone.
A term grouping together a number of different therapies based on waves - light, sound and magnetism.
The 'big daddy' of eastern lifestyle therapies which has been enthusiastically embraced in Britain as a means of keeping fit, is really an ancient Hindu discipline. It combines exercises which stretch the body with controlled breathing and meditation. There are many different variations, including ashtanga yoga, which is very much more dynamic and fast-moving than other types. Yoga is regarded as a means of reducing stress, improving breathing and circulation, and increasing flexibility.
A light form of physical manipulation developed as a concept by Fritz Smith, and American osteopath and doctor, which uses finger pressure to increase and balance the flow of energy through the bones. Combining oriental views of energy with the western science of functional anatomy, the aim is to align the body's energy field with its physical structure. Practitioners use gentle forms of osteopathic and acupressure techniques to relieve pain and stress.
Click for World Health Organisation (WHO) information about the role of Traditional and Complementary Medicine.
Please note that any information provided on this site is offered without guarantees or any acceptance of liability. We do our best to verify accuracy, but are not offering advice. You should consult a suitably qualified medical practitioner before undertaking any treatment.
