Synopsis
Written from a nursing perspective, this comprehensive overview of alternative health practices and complimentary therapies covers the principles, techniques, research, health promotion methods and healing practices for specific illnesses and symptoms--motivating readers to explore alternative approaches, increase their knowledge about factors which contribute to health and illness, and expand their professional practice appropriately. Describes alternative practices, their backgrounds and claims, preparation of practitioners, concepts, diagnostic methods, treatments, and evidence of research studies. Provides suggestions for implementing alternative healing therapies into Western health care systems, and introduces the philosophical approaches to both Western biomedicine and alternative or complementary medicine. Considers systematized health care practices, botanical healing--including herbs, nutritional supplements, and aromatherapy; manual healing methods, such as chiropractic, massage, and pressure point therapies, hand-mediated biofield therapies, and physical-biofield therapies; mind-body techniques, including yoga, hypnotherapy, and biofeedback; spiritual approaches (working with shamans and the use of faith and prayer); and other alternative therapies, such as bioelectromagnetics. “ Try This” boxes discuss focused breathing, visualization, emotional first aid, improving dream recall, absorbing earth energy, interacting with your pet, and more. For nurses and allied health professionals.