Complementary and alternative healthcare is becoming popular and widespread. Health workers on the U.S are turning to this effective method of treatment to assuage anxiety. This is according to findings of a study conducted by analysts. A massive 76% of health care workers revealed that they have applied alternative therapy. This is in comparison to the public, which takes up 63%. According to reports, the underlying issue leading to self-treatment and maintaining a sense of well-being was anxiety. The general population is continuing to use alternative therapies at a fast rate. This is specific to a study of cancer patients, where 40% sought after nontraditional treatment methods. More than 60% of cancer survivors used alternative methods for treatment.
The following is a list of self-administered of practitioner conducted treatments and therapies.
- Energy methods such as energy healing and reiki
- Mind and body methods, which include hypnotism, yoga, tai chi and biofeedback
- Biologically-based methods like vitamins and therapies based on diet
- Acupuncture and naturopathy, which are whole medical methods
- Manipulative and body based methods like Pilates, massage and Alexander technique
Even though these methods have gained much popularity, it is still a tag of war in the medical field. Many practitioners are skeptical about the value of these therapies as well as their safety. According to studies, a large number of professionals in the healthcare sector had used alternative medicine. It is important to note the reasons given for using alternative treatment. They include:
- Enhancing general wellness
- Treating pain in the joints, the neck and back
- Alleviating anxiety
These are the three most common reasons of using alternative medicine. In general, people working in ambulatory care were more likely to use alternative medicine than their hospital-based counterparts were. Allopathic medicine is complimented to alternative medicine. According to research and statistics, healthcare workers are exposing themselves to these treatment methods for enhanced wellness.
The limitations in the study included respondents not being able to differentiate between complementary and alternative health care. However, the results tallied with a previous research done. A shift is leading to integration of complementary medicine into conventional medicine. This is mainly due to personal use of therapies by health care workers. There is need for further and extensive research in order to give this integration clearance. There is need for an In-depth analysis of the possible risks and benefits that come from using complementary and alternative therapies.
