Touch therapy

A third approach to medical care that has recently gained significantly in popularity is alternative medicine and the alternative approaches. These are varied but frequently involve such techniques as touch therapy and massage (acupressure), chiropractic, magnets, herbals, and naturopathic remedies. Herbal preparations and spiritual healing are also used that allow for mind and body control. 

In recent years, Americans and others have tended to rely less and less on modern, scientific medical practices and remedies for treating many medical conditions. Popular magazines, television shows, and newspapers routinely include stories about alternative medical treatments, aromatherapy, herbal and natural remedies, magnet therapy, touch therapy, psychic healing, acupuncture, and homeopathy. The debate over the efficacy of such treatments continues. It is safe to say, however, that most, if not all, of these treatment methods have not been subjected to the same rigorous scientific standards as most modern medical practices and treatments. 

Complementary and alternative medicines A group of practices and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine, including alternative medical systems (e.g., homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine), mind-body interventions (e.g., meditation and mental healing), biologically-based therapies (e.g., dietary supplements, vitamins, herbs, and other natural products), manipulative body-based methods (e.g., acupuncture and massage), and energy therapies (e.g., therapeutic touch and bioelectromagnetic-based therapies). 

There is, moreover, the field of hypervitaminoses, which has been explored for the fat-soluble vitamins, but hardly touched in the water-soluble vitamins. The production of combined system disease by folic acid therapy of pernicious anemia belongs to this group, but many more instances wait to be recognized. The indiscriminate use of polyvitamin preparations by poorly informed clinicians is bound to mask such states and to delay their discovery. Also, the use of flushing doses of vitamins in diagnostic tests may cause acute hypervitaminoses. 

A 25-year-old woman presents to the emergency department complaining of acute onset of shortness of breath and pleuritic pain. She had been in her usual state of health until 2 days prior when she noted that her left leg was swollen and red. Her only medication was oral contraceptives. Family history was significant for a history of "blood clots" in multiple members of the maternal side of her family. Physical examination demonstrates an anxious woman with stable vital signs. The left lower extremity demonstrates erythema and edema and is tender to touch. Ultrasound reveals a deep vein thrombosis in the left lower extremity chest computed tomography scan confirms the presence of pulmonary emboli. What are the likely risk factors in this woman—hereditary, acquired, or both What therapy is indicated acutely What are the long-term therapy options How long should she be treated Should this individual use oral contraceptives ... 

We have reviewed antidepressant augmentation strategies, including the principles and several specific examples. Finally, we have touched on the use of electroconvulsive therapy and psychotherapy for the treatment of depression. 

However more biologically enthusiastic psychiatrists were less hesitant. Authors of another major British textbook admitted that a therapy which fails in two fifths of cases cannot very well be specific, but were still confident that hypoglycaemic treatment obviously touches the physical basis of schizophrenia more closely than all earlier modes of physical attack (Mayer-Gross, Slater, Roth 1954, p. 286). Attempts were made to explain its actions in terms of its effects on electrical circuits in the brain, an explanation that had become fashionable since the invention of the electroencephalograph (EEG), which measured brain waves, and was also applied to ECT (Fink Karliner 2007 Paterson 1963). In 1966, a German textbook emphatically stated ... 

Despite continual reassurances from Dr. W, Mr. K still refuses to consider psychotropic medication or a psychiatric consultation. Ms. J works with Mr. K over the next month, trying to help him find ways to deal with his various fears. He appears to be making some mild progress until, one day, he calls Ms. J to cancel their appointment because he broke his foot. He explains that he is afraid to ride in elevators and usually takes the stairs to attend his appointments with her on the fourth floor. He is now unable to use stairs and refuses to consider the elevator for fear of losing it. Unable to accommodate him on a lower floor, Ms. J agrees to some phone therapy during his recovery. Mr. K finds it difficult to keep the phone appointments and gradually loses touch with both Ms. J and Dr. W. 

Herbal products are considered a type of alternative medicine (e.g., herbal medicines, Chinese herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture, biofeedback, color therapy, music therapy, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy. Ayurvedic medicine, massage, therapeutic touch, Bach flower remedies, chiropractic, reflexology, naturopathy, and more). According to the Office of Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), characteristics of alternatives medicine include treatments that lack sufficient documentation in the United States for safety and effectiveness against specific disease and... 

The term therapeutic touch is used to mean a particular hands-on therapy, as well as the entire realm of hands-on techniques, such as Reiki, Touch for Health, Jin Shin Jyutsu, and some forms of Reconnective Healing. In addition to reducing stress and anxiety, therapeutic touch has been shown to have positive effects on many conditions linked to acidity in the body, including osteoarthritis, cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, and Alzheimer s-type dementia.10 It can provide an increased sense of comfort and well-being, reduce pain, and in some cases improve symptoms and the condition itself. More study is required to validate the power of therapeutic touch as a treatment, either stand-alone or in combination with other healing therapies and medical treatments. But because therapeutic touch has no side effects and can help reduce stress, it is a welcome addition to the Kick Acid program, should you choose to incorporate it. 

CBT is the treatment of choice for rmld OCD in both adolescents and adults. In the management of OCD, CBT involves exposure plus response prevention combined with cognitive therapy. When available, CBT should be offered to every OCD patient. Exposure involves having the patient perform actions that were formerly avoided. For instance, if a patient avoided touching the flush handle on a bathroom toUet, exposure would involve holding onto the handle. Response... 

The field is introduced in the first chapter, which points out the complexity of the adhesion process involving multiple adhesins on a single microbe and their respective target receptors on host cells, and discusses the possibility of controlling bacterial infections via preventing the adhesion or invasion stages of microbial pathogenesis. The latter issue touches on a vision of an anti-adhesive therapy, which in our opinion receives some validation on the basis of the contributions collected herein. 

On examination, you And that this sore has all the characteristics of an ulcer. Mr Buckley s feet are cold to the touch and he confirms that he often finds it difficult to keep his feet warm. He admits to having hypertension, for which he is being treated, but also says he has not seen his GP for 18 months other than to arrange this visit to the podiatrist. His current drug therapy has not changed for the past five years. There also appears to be significant ankle oedema, which has worsened since Mr Buckley retired 10 weeks ago. 

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