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Science and medicine has evolved rapidly throughout the last couple of centuries. As a result, people expect all of their ills to be cured. One part of this development is that people are looking in many directions for treatments and therapies. Many of these treatments have been a part of Eastern medicine for centuries. The Western medical establishment calls these therapies Alternative Medicine. {Some of the therapies are acupuncture, cupping, reflexology, massage and healing touch are some of the treatments used. Acupuncture is based on the belief rely on the idea that the body has fields of energy known as chi or qi and that illness and pain occur when these fields are disrupted. The acupuncturist inserts very thin needles into acupuncture points all over the body. In Dallas acupuncture is a popular therapy. A Dallas acupuncturist can provide you with treatment for whatever ails you.

Another ancient therapy that is coming into public consciousness is known as cupping. As with acupuncture, the purpose of cupping is to bring the chi back into alignment. This therapy makes use of small round glass cups and heat. The cups are heated and the open ends are placed on the back of the patient. The placement is based on the meridians of the flow of energy. As the air in the cups loses heat, it contracts, causing a small vacuum. The skin on the back is pulled into the cups with a vacuum. This process draws extra blood into the area and releases poisons.

Reflexology is another well-liked treatment. This therapy is a form of massage on the sole of the foot. It is relies on the fact that the nerves on the sole of the foot (and also the hand) are linked to every part of the body. Reflexology charts show the relationship between the sole of the foot to the various parts of the body. I have even seen charts that have a drawing of a little person. When the reflexologist provides a treatment, he or she talks with the client to discover which body parts are ailing. Then the therapist presses on the various points on the sole that correspond to these areas of the body. The effectiveness of this therapy is based mainly on anecdotal evidence. However, it has been shown through scientific study that reflexology is an effective treatment for premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Another common but controversial therapy is healing touch. As with the other alternative treatments, healing touch makes use of the energy fields of the body. It is similar to massage except that, instead of using pressure on the muscles to loosen and unknot them, healing touch makes use of a gentle touch to balance the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of the patient. It works with the chi to assist the natural healing processes. A brochure for a healing touch class for nurses told the potential students that they would learn to fluff the patient while they fluffed the pillow.

These alternative therapies are becoming popular because they are inexpensive and noninvasive. However, the strong caution is that they supplement traditional medical practices; they do not replace medical treatment.