• Reasons for growth of complementary and alternative health products and services
• Range of products and services available
• How to make informed consumer choices

Reasons for Growth of Complementary and Alternative Health Products and Services

• Consumer trust upon multiple complementary and alternative health services.
• Compulsion of going for health products that offer more value for multiple price points.
• Increased brand awareness of unconventional methods of treatment and often, positive testimonials of these approaches from next of kins.
• Individuals look for more comprehensive treatment protocols which involve problem identification proceeding treatment.
• Inclination towards quick remedies for relieving minor health issues.
• Supervision under alternative health services are often consultative which is desired by individuals.
• Previous dissatisfaction and increased scepticism around traditional approaches.

Range of Products and Services Available

• Acupuncture
  • A mode of treating pain by inserting needles in specific numbers, places and depths through an individual’s skin.
  • Follows the theory of Chinese medicine which explains pain and other forms of diseases as an imbalance of the life forces.
  • The goal of inserting needles into very specific points is to restore the forces back to a balanced form.
  • Measure of effectiveness of this method has sparked a debate among Western medicine practitioners as well as scientists.
  • Substantial scientific explanations cease to exist as of now.
  • Some scientists have given a neurological explanation to the modus, claiming that places where nerves, muscles and connective tissue can be stimulated are categorized as acupuncture spots. Once the needles come in contact with such points, the stimulation increases blood flow. At the same time, the body’s natural painkillers are triggered. depleting pain.
• Naturopathy
  • A practice that uses natural remedial elements for facilitating the body to heal itself.
  • Naturopathic medicine aims to dive into the root causes of an illness and treat the cause, rather than blocking symptoms at an early stage of the disease.
  • Complementary medicine — like homeopathy, herbal medicine, and acupuncture is sometimes paired with naturopathic treatment measures.
  • Naturopathic medicine generally covers the following common health issues: Allergies, Headaches, Fertility issues, Digestive problems, Obesity, Hormonal imbalances, Chronic pain, Chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Chiropractic
  • Chiropractic care, coupled with other alternative treatments is used to treat forms of pain experienced in the neck, arms, legs, back and sometimes from headaches.
  • Chiropractors (those who provide chiropractic care) use a method known as hands-on spinal manipulation to relieve a subject of the pain.
  • An individual’s joints can become immobile owing to tissue injury; which can either come from sudden traumatic events like falling or repetitive stress experienced from daily actions (sitting without back support, staring at a screen for a long time without resting the neck etc.).
  • The working mechanism for chiropractic treatment is the proper alignment of the body’s musculoskeletal structure, particularly the spine and restoring the mobility of affected joints, muscle, bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons.. According to chiropractors, proper musculoskeletal alignment will promote self-healing of the body, without surgery or medication. .
• Meditation
  • An individual concentrates or focuses on an object and tends to reach a meditative state, where their thoughts are detangled and the mind is tranquil.
  • The goal for that individual is to acquire inner peace which is the key to help the body resolve any health conditions.
  • Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine.
  • Meditation is often prescribed to individuals for reducing stress and anxiety.
• Herbal Medicine
  • Forms of therapeutics which are in a rather crude form and often obtained from plants and plant extracts.
  • Doses come in the following forms: dried, chopped, powdered, capsule, or liquid, and can be either swallowed, drunk or applied as a topical.
  • The use of herbal medicine, although popular in some cultures as a therapeutic, is controversial. This is because the FDA does not consider herbal medicine as a drug. Therefore, they are not subject to the same testing, manufacturing, and labeling standards and regulations as drugs.
• Hypnotherapy
  • A psychological therapy during which an individual’s mind goes into a trance blocking all natural happenings in the surroundings.
  • The heightened state of awareness with hypnosis or hypnotherapy is achieved through guided relaxation, intense concentration, and focused attention.
  • Hypnotherapy is often a part of other psychological therapy routines and is used to treat: phobias, fears, and anxiety, sleep disorders, depression, stress, post-trauma anxiety, grief and loss
• Osteopathy
  • Osteopathic medicine principles aim to treat a person’s whole body to alleviate them from an underlying disease or disorder.
  • Osteopathic medicine is based on the fundamental that all systems of our body are interrelated, therefore the treatment should be all-inclusive rather than site specific.
  • The practice involves physical manipulation of the spine, joints and surrounding muscle tissues and is targeted to treat back pains and muscular disorders.

How to Make Informed Consumer Choices

• In order to make the right choices in terms of any given therapeutic measure you could ask the following questions:
  • Has your condition been fully assessed through clinical diagnosis?
  • What is the degree of health anomaly the condition can substantiate in your body?
  • How long do you need to take the prescribed medications and other forms of therapies?
  • Do you have enough means to bear all associated costs for the medications?
  • Are there any critical side-effects you should be aware of?
  • Are there any alternative modes of treatment or prescription drugs?
• Do a deeper analysis and weigh our options following the RSR process:
  • Research – Are there any testimonials for the prescribed treatment process? Ask and assess from people who’ve already followed the routine prescribed to you.
  • Select – Cumulating everything you’ve found in the research phase, you can set your mind whether you should register for the treatment prescribed or ask your physician for alternatives.
  • Reassess – monitor if the mode of treatment is working in your favour.