Darrick Robles Placebo Effect or Medical Miracle? The effect of globules, oil massages and manual therapies is controversial. And yet more and more people swear by the sometimes ancient healing arts. Patients in Germany spend millions of euros every year on homeopathy and naturopathic treatments. Some health insurance companies cover the costs. An overview of complementary medicine, how it works and where its limitations lie.
In everyday language, complementary treatment methods are often referred to as alternative medicine. In fact, however, they can not replace classic medical treatment . That is why we are talking here about complementary or accompanying therapies.
On the gentle tour
In contrast to conventional medicines, the effectiveness of globules and the like has not been scientifically proven. Nevertheless, many patients are convinced that complementary healing methods can help them. About 60% of Germans use them for a wide range of complaints, from headaches to acne to burnout syndrome . So what is it about the methods that are so divided?
How complementary therapies work
Naturopathic approaches look at patients from a different perspective. Depending on the method, the treatment can be very time-consuming. In the initial consultation, the treating person asks different questions than we are used to from a medical examination using evidence-based methods. Some forms of therapy include habits, psyche and social environment. The result: the patient feels comfortable and understood, builds a relationship with the therapist. This alone can have a positive effect on the success of the therapy.
Osteopathy: Healing Hands
Back pain, joint and muscle pain cannot only be treated with injections and tablets. Exercise can also be healing – especially when the worst is over. This is exactly where osteopathy comes in (from the Greek osteon “bone”, pathos “suffering”). These include, for example, manual therapy and chiropractic. Osteopaths work with their hands: they feel muscle tension and blockages in the musculoskeletal system. Then they use various techniques (e.g. fascial release) and guided movements to relax and mobilize joints and muscles.
Osteopathy is a therapy that takes time and patience. She heals holistically instead of focusing on individual symptoms. For example, pain in the knee joint can also come from the pelvis and radiate into the foot. Osteopaths take all of this into account. And that’s not only good for people with sports injuries and office backs. Osteopathy is a “craft” in the truest sense of the word that has experienced an upswing in all age and professional groups since more and more people suffer from a lack of exercise .
Ayurveda: Switch off the Indian way
Ayurveda is on everyone’s lips: not only in the form of mouth oil, but also as nutrition, yoga and herbal medicine. The roots of the ancient Indian art of healing go back to the 2nd millennium BC. back. Ayurveda (“knowledge of life”) is a holistic system that combines physical, mental, spiritual and emotional aspects of health. Ayurvedic treatments aim to bring people and nature into harmony. They fit in perfectly with a zeitgeist that longs for mindfulness and deceleration.
Oil massages are an integral part of an Ayurveda cure because they are intended to promote regeneration and deep relaxation. There are also spa packs and cleansing rituals, rounded off by an individual nutrition plan based on body type. Of course, yoga should not be missing. Breathing exercises and meditation are just as much a part of it as cobra and downward-facing dog.
Homeopathy: tiny helpers from nature
Extracted from plants, animal products, and minerals, diluted many times over, and then administered in the form of granules, ointments, or tinctures: is this the formula by which homeopathic remedies work? Not quite. Homeopaths can also ask about moods and behavior in the initial consultation. At the end of the day, a holistic clinical picture should emerge for which over 2,500 different homeopathic remedies are available.
The doctor and pharmacist Samuel Hahnemann founded homeopathy in the 18th century. He was convinced that diseases can be cured with remedies that cause symptoms similar to the disease. For example: Curing a bee sting with bee venom. Since the substances seemed too strong, he began to dilute them (also: to potentiate them). Homeopathic remedies are available in powers of ten (D) and hundreds (C). D20 means the active ingredient has been diluted 20 times tenfold. This corresponds to the degree of dilution of an effervescent tablet that is dissolved in the Atlantic Ocean.
TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Traditional Chinese Medicine is thousands of years old. However, it only arrived in the West at the end of the 20th century. The central concept in Far Eastern medicine is Qi: It stands for the energy that brings opposites (yin and yang) into balance. For example, Qigong means “working on Qi”. This includes movement, martial arts and meditation exercises that allow the balancing power to flow in the body. The most well-known method of TCM is acupuncture, which works with needle pricks.
A TCM treatment begins, like the classic consultation, with an anamnesis interview. However, the diagnostic procedures are different than usual. TCM doctors diagnose with all their senses: They can read the progress of the disease on their tongues, use their keen sense of touch to diagnose the pulse and listen carefully to the patient’s voice. As with other accompanying healing methods, it is better to bring a little more time with you.
Combine conventional and complementary therapies
Complementary medicine is an important part of our healthcare system. Many people use them as a gentle adjunct to medical treatment . Our recommendation: If you have unknown symptoms, you should make sure that there is no serious illness behind them. Have a doctor examine you and find out the cause of your symptoms. Your doctor can advise you on whether additional treatment is suitable for you.
