| Acupressure |
Acupressure seeks to remedy illness through the application of deep finger pressure at points along an invisible system of energy channels called meridians. |
| Acupuncturist |
Acupuncturist tool tip |
| Acupunture |
The insertion of tiny needles at certain very specific points on the surface of the body. |
| Alexander Technique |
The goal is to bring the body's muscles into natural harmony. Physical movements such as walking, standing, bending are used to improve reflexes and reactions. |
| Apitherapy |
Use of exotic substances produced by bees such as bee venum (royal jelly) for medicinal purposes. |
| Applied Kinesiology |
A diagnostic technique that analizes a person's posture, gait, and range of joint motion for an over-all health evaluation. |
| Aromatherapy |
Use of highly concentrated essential oils extracted from various healing herbs either applied to the skin, sprayed in the air, or inhaled to improve one's quality of life. |
| Aston-Patterning |
Specialized program of physical training and massage designed to relieve muscle tension pain, speed recovery from injury, and aid in relaxation and stress reduction. |
| Ayurvedic Medicine |
Encompasses a wide range of treatments and lifestyle measures, including dietary, massage, medicinal herbs, meditation and breathing techniques. |
| Biofeedback |
An intensive treatment learning how to control normally involuntary (autonomic) functions such as heart rate, blood pressure and brain waves. |
| Biological Dentistry |
Based on the premise that the teeth can affect the general health of the body, techniques such as neural therapy, oral acupuncture, cold laser therapy are applied. |
| Bodywork |
Various methods typified by exercising, manipulating, and/or manually (especially digitally) touching the body. It overlaps with energy field work. |
| Breathwork |
A form of conscious breathing designed to effect physical, emotional, and spiritual change by dissolving 'limiting programs' that are stored in the mind and body. |
| Cell Therapy |
Usually from unborn sheep or pigs, cells are taken and injected into a patients bloodstream seeking to reverse the ravages of degenerative disease. |
| Chelation |
Clears a variety of heavy metals from the body by using a chemical called ethylenediametetraacetic acid (EDTA) administered through an IV needle. |
| Chinese Medicine |
Using herbal medicine to restore the health through correction of imbalances within the patient's body or between the patient and the larger social and natural order. |
| Chiropractic |
A drugless practice associated with spinal manipulation, emphasizing structure and function of the body's musculoskeletal framework. Applied to any muscle or joint in the body to ease pain and discomfort. |
| Colonic Irrigation |
The goal is to flush 'built-up' toxins from the bowel. Treaments are administered by a small tube called a speculum, inserted into the rectum. |
| Color Therapy |
Used to reduce stress, energize the body, and ease pain by identifying the specific effects of each visible color in the spectrum and using them to influence health. |
| Craniosacral Therapy |
A hands-on therapy seeking to cure disease by manipulating the bones of the skull using light touches to the head, spine, sacrum, ribs, and extremities. |
| Detoxification Therapy |
Aimed at freeing the body from a build-up of various artificial toxins. Chelation, Colonic Irrigation, Fasting, and other Special Diets are some basic approaches used. |
| Energy Medicine |
Sending pulsed currents of electrical energy to a set of electrodes stuck to the skin to aid such areas as damaged tissue, relieve pain, and to stimulate energy flow. |
| Environmental Medicine |
Aimed at rellieving disorders blamed on pollutants and toxins in the modern environment. Approaches include Nutritional Therapies, Detoxification and Immunotherapy. |
| Enzyme Therapy |
Enzymes are catalysts for virtually every biological and chemical reaction in the body. They are given as a supplement to overcome deficiency. |
| Fasting |
A dietary modification used for Weight-loss, Detoxification, and Spirituality. Various approaches are supervised by a trained therapist. |
| Feldenkrais Method |
A supportive therapy of using improved movement patterns and awareness to recover from illness or injury. |
| Flower Remedies |
Use of flower extracts to relieve various unwanted, counterproductive emotional states. Patients ingest the extracts (sometimes diluted in mineral water). |
| Gemstone Therapy |
The wearing of precious and semiprecious stones for healing. |
| Guided Imagery |
Seeking to make beneficial physical changes in the body by repeatedly visualizing them. A form of mind-body therapy. |
| Hellerwork |
A combination of deep tissue massage and "movement reeducation." Used for a variety of problems related to muscle tension and stress. |
| Homeopathy |
Use of extremely diluted solutions of assorted herbs, animal products, and chemicals to treat various conditions. |
| Hydrotherapy |
Use of water to treat illness by applying various combinations of hot and cold water-soaked compresses to manage the pain, swelling and burns. |
| Hyperthermia |
Treatment of disease with heat. Raising the body temperature above 98.6 degrees in specific areas or perhaps all over. Various techniques apply. |
| Hypnotherapy |
Using the power of suggestion to control your thoughts and emotions by an induced hypnotic trance or focused state of mind. |
| Iridology |
The practice of correlating the markings and patterns of the iris to reflex manifestations and bodily malfunctions among the many organs of the body. |
| Juice Therapy |
Ingesting the extracted juice from fruits and vegetables. Juice yeilds sugars, starches enzymes, vitamins and minerals for an excellent supplement to a normal diet. |
| Light Therapy |
Used for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) by exposure to light that matches the radiation from natural sunlight. Other conditions are also treated separately. |
| Macrobiotic Diet |
An oriental-style diet low in fat, emphasizing whole grains and vegetables, and restricts fluids. An attempt to balance 'complimentary opposites' (yin and yang). |
| Magnetic Field Therapy |
Primarily used to relieve muscle and joint pain. Various types and sizes of magnets are used in this therapy. |
| Massage Therapy |
Used to relieve such conditions of anxiety, tension, depression, muscle pain, and stress. Several techniques used are based on certain 'hand strokes'. |
| Meditation |
Calming mental exercises used to deliberately suspend the stream of consciousness that usually occupies the mind. |
| Mind/Body Medicine |
Currently referred to as Psychoneuroimmunology- thinking, emotions, moods and cellular structures and immune system. Various techniques used toward health. |
| Myotherapy |
A specialized form of deep muscle massage used to quickly relieve muscle-related pain and reduce "trigger points" thought to be the cause of pain and discomfort. |
| Naturopathic Medicine |
A rather philosophical approach to health, offering a wide variety of natural, noninvasive remedies for an array of troubling minor ailments. |
| Neural Therapy |
Use of anesthetic injections to clear up "electrical interference" causing problems elswhere in the body. |
| Neurolinguistic Programming |
A treatment to replace counterproductive reactions that hamper the healing process with beneficial ones that boost it. To change self-perceptions positively. |
| Orthomolecular Medicine |
Ingesting larger than usual doses of certain nutrients such as vitamins and minerals with hopes of preventing or curing disease. |
| Osteopathic Medicine |
Based on the premise that displaced bones, nerves, and muscles are at the root of most ailments with a modern shift toward the western medical mainstream. |
| Oxygen Therapy |
Use of supplemental oxygen to cure disease by taking in various concentrations of oxygen. Various treatments and combinations are used for different reasons. |
| Polarity Therapy |
Involves energy-based bodywork, diet, exercise, and self awareness. It works with the human energy field (electro-magnetic patterns). |
| Pranic Healing |
Also known as Bioplasmic Healing and Radiatory Healing- involving manipulation of ki and "bioplasmic matter." |
| Qigong |
A Chinese exercise discipline to reduce stress and anxiety, while improving overall physical fitness, balance, and flexibility by seeking to stimulate the flow of 'qi'. |
| Reconstructive Therapy |
Natural irritants injected into the joints to speed healing of torn, damaged, injured, pulled, or weakened tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. |
| Reflexology |
Use of hands to apply pressure to specific points of the foot that are believed to eleviate or help with conditions that affect other parts of the body. |
| Rolfing |
A vigorous deep-tissue massage of the fascia that is used to generally relieve stress, improve mobility, and boost energy, thus improving overall well-being. |
| Sound Therapy |
Using various sounds to treat an array of conditions. Music is most common, while other forms of sound are used to evoke other aspects of health and healing. |
| Tai Chi |
A graceful Chinese fitness regimen using 'forms' to increase strength, muscle tone, enhanced range of motion and flexibility, improved balance and coordination. |
| Therapeutic Touch |
A modern variation of 'laying on of hands'. Therapists move their hands just above the body with the intension of correcting imbalances in the human energy field. |
| Trager Integration |
A light, gentle form of massage seeking to release deeply ingrained tensions, promoting a sense of relaxation and freedom. |
| Urine Therapy |
One of several uses of urine to prevent or cure sickness, to enhance beauty or to cleanse one's bowels. Most devotees drink the midstream of their morning urine. |
| Vegetarianism |
A basically 'meatless' diet (many variations exist), typically low in fat, cholesterol, and calories with hope of promoting health and well-being. |
| Yoga |
An age-old set of exercises that include; breathing, body posture, and meditation. Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word for "union" and is rooted in the Hindu religion. |
