Complementary Medicine

Complementary Medicine has grown in popularity year by year. Complementary treatment used to be called alternative medicine and was often frowned upon by traditional medical science. Due to both effectiveness and economic reasons, complementary therapies have become accepted and mainstream. The name "complementary" reinforces the idea that these alternative treatments work well with traditional medical therapies.

What is Complementary Medicine?

Complementary therapies are alternative treatments that complement traditional medicine. The very term �complementary� is quite a compliment to these alternative therapies scorned in the past by many medical practitioners. In essence, these alternative therapies fall outside of traditional western medical science, but have been recognized by doctors as beneficial parts of a combined care treatment regimen.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

There are many types of alternative complementary therapies available:

* Chiropractic

* Acupuncture

* Acupressure

* Alexander Therapy

* Bowen Therapy

* Herbology

* Reiki

* Magnet Therapy

* Electrotherapy

* Diet Therapy

* Exercise Therapy

* Massage Therapy

* Hydrotherapy

* Knowledge Therapy

* Hypnotherapy

* Traditional Chinese Medicine

There are many other alternative and complementary treatments, but these are the most commonly used for back pain relief.

Recommendation on Complementary Medicine

Alternative back pain therapies have become a huge part of the back pain industry juggernaut. Traditional doctors and alternative healthcare providers realize that they are better off working together than arguing over whose theories are more valid. This partnership has been a blessing for some patients and a curse for others. Patients requiring a combined care approach for the treatment of physically caused back pain benefit greatly from the partnership of traditional and alternative medicine. However, patients suffering from misdiagnosed forms of psychological back pain often get stuck in the care of these providers for many years with little hope for a true cure. It is a mixed bag to be sure�

I highly recommend trying out some of these complementary treatments for your physical back pain. Most of the practitioners are extremely knowledgeable and can be particularly open minded and in tune with the specific patient�s needs. I have many friends working in the fields of alternative and complementary medicine. I consider myself very lucky to have such a knowledgeable group of associates always available for reference and advice on all matters relating to back pain. It has been through their help that this site has become a reality�

Complementary Medicine to Back Pain Home page 2/20/07 Revised 6/21/08