By Shalini Madhav
Holistic medical doctors combine the modern scientific treatment with complementary or alternative medicine like massage, acupuncture and chiropractic. The holistic doctor looks at everything and then gives a pharmaceutical drug option as well as an alternative treatment that could include homeopathic remedy. Homeopathic treatment isn't something many doctors and institutions embrace, but it is under the umbrella of holistic medicine.
A holistic doctor will most often encourage some diagnostic testing like hormone levels and adrenal function. This is done so as to try and find if there are any underlying causes that have led to an imbalance. The whole person is considered in the whole healing process so as to have health at its optimal by having balance.
The practitioners in this area are of the belief that a human has parts that are interdependent and when one isn't working, as it should, all the others are affected. This means that if there is any kind of imbalance regardless of the type, it affects the overall health to a great extent.
A good example is a person suffering from migraines. If they decide to visit this kind of doctor, they may not work out with only medications. The doctor will take time to look at all the possible factors that could be causing the headaches. He will also search for any other health problems that could cause the migraines including personal problems, stress, sleep habits and even diet. Treatment can involve using drugs as well as modifications to one's lifestyle to make sure that the headaches don't recur.
The principles Holistic medicine also believes that unconditional support and love are very powerful healers and that a person is actually responsible for their own wellbeing and health. Other principles are:
~The patient isn't a disease but a person
~Everyone has got innate healing powers
Treatment should involve the fixing, of course not just dealing with the symptoms.
There is a need for a team approach for healing to be effective and it should involve the doctor and patient and should address all the different aspects of personal life of the patient using a wide range of practices in health care.
Types of treatment
Different treatment techniques are applied to help patients to be responsible and to achieve their optimal health. The approaches depend on the training of the practitioner and they can include:
Education regarding self-care and lifestyle changes so as to promote wellness, including spiritual counseling, relationship counseling, and psychotherapy and even exercise among many others.
Alternative and complementary therapies including naturopathy, massage therapy, homeopathy, chiropractic care and acupuncture. And so on Surgical procedures and modern medicine.
Where to find a holistic doctor?
Holistic providers can include homeopathic doctors, chiropractors, Naturopathic doctors, osteopathy doctors and even medical doctors. There are different associations that can help you get in touch with such a doctor depending on where you are based. There are online lists that can help you in finding someone close to you.
Don't settle for the first person you find. This is a profession like others, meaning there are people who do a better job than others. A recommendation from, a trusted source like someone close to you or a health organization that is credible could be a great idea.
“It must be frustrating to survive the gauntlet that is our western medical schooling system only to one day come to the realization that you have been taught only to manage illness and disease instead of curing it.”
― Gary Hopkins