Manipulative and body-based methods in complementary and alternative medicine are based on manipulation and/or movement of one or more parts of the body. Some examples include Acupressure, Alexander Technique, Chirpractic, Feldenkrais Method, Massage therapy, Osteopathy, Reflexology, Rolfing, Trager Approach.
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Aromatherapy & Essential Oils
Aromatherapy can be defined as the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit. It is an art and science which seeks to explore the physiological, psychological and spiritual realm of the individual's response to aromatic extracts as well as to observe and enhance the individual's innate healing process.
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. An oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant.
Interest in essential oils has revived in recent decades with the popularity of aromatherapy, a branch of alternative medicine that claims that essential oils and other aromatic compounds have curative effects. Oils are volatilized or diluted in a carrier oil and used in massage, diffused in the air by a nebulizer, heated over a candle flame, or burned as incense.
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Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique is a method that focuses on teaching individuals how to reduce unnecessary muscular and mental tension throughout their daily activities. Rather than being a relaxation technique or a form of exercise, it is an educational process aimed at improving body awareness and coordination. This technique addresses the way people use their bodies in everyday tasks, encouraging a balanced and natural alignment.
Practitioners of the Alexander Technique suggest that many physical problems, such as back pain or Parkinson's disease, arise from long-term misuse of the body. Common examples of such misuse include poor posture, uneven weight distribution while sitting or standing, improper head positioning, and inefficient walking or running habits. By recognizing these habits, the Alexander Technique helps individuals unlearn harmful physical patterns and return to a state of balance and poise, where the body is well-aligned and functioning optimally.
Research has shown that the Alexander Technique can be beneficial for conditions like chronic back pain and Parkinson's disease, helping improve movement and reduce discomfort. However, evidence supporting its effectiveness in treating asthma is limited and inconclusive.
Ultimately, the goal of the Alexander Technique is to guide individuals back to a natural, healthy state of bodily alignment, improving overall well-being and preventing long-term physical strain.
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Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral therapy (CST), or cranial-sacral therapy, is a form of bodywork or alternative therapy focused primarily on the concept of "primary respiration" and regulating the flow of cerebrospinal fluid by using therapeutic touch to manipulate the synarthrodial joints of the cranium. To do this, a practitioner will apply light touches to a patient's skull, face, spine and pelvis Craniosacral therapy was developed by John Upledger, D.O. in the 1970s, and is loosely based on osteopathy in the cranial field (OCF), which was developed in the 1930s by William Garner Sutherland.
Practitioners of craniosacral therapy assert that there are small, rhythmic motions of the cranial bones attributed to cerebrospinal fluid pressure or arterial pressure. The premise of CST is that palpation of the cranium can be used to detect this rhythmic movement of the cranial bones and selective pressures may be used to manipulate the cranial bones to achieve a therapeutic result. However, the degree of mobility and compliance of the cranial bones is considered controversial and is a critically important concept in craniosacral therapy.
Source: Wiki
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Feldenkrais Method
The Feldenkrais Method, developed by Moshé Feldenkrais (1904–1984), is a somatic educational system designed to enhance body awareness, reduce pain, and improve movement. It focuses on increasing self-awareness of functional movement to promote ease, reduce limitations, and improve overall well-being.
Unlike manipulative therapies, Feldenkrais is a movement pedagogy that teaches through experiential learning and self-observation during movement exploration. By expanding students’ movement repertoire, the method helps increase function and alleviate pain, fostering greater ease and enjoyment of movement.
The Feldenkrais Method is not intended for specific injury treatment, but it can address the physical dysfunction caused by poor movement habits, repetitive motions, and stress. It is often considered a complementary or integrative medicine approach. Like the Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais encourages awareness of daily movements, helping to correct long-standing habits caused by injury or environmental factors. The method includes over a thousand exercises that focus on slow, gentle, and controlled movements, covering the full range of human motion.
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Massage Therapy
Many types of practices are associated with massage and include bodywork, manual therapy, energy medicine, and breathwork. Other names for massage and related practices include hands-on work, body/somatic therapy, and somatic movement education.
Some examples of massage therapy are: Bowen Technique, Breema®, Champissage™ (Indian Head Massage), Deep Tissue Massage, Esalen® Massage, Hilot, Koho Anma, Lomi Lomi, Myofascial Release, Myomassology, Postural Integration, Shiatsu, Structural Integration, Rolfing, Swedish Massage, Thai Massage, Trigger Point Therapy, Watsu
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Osteopathy
Osteopathy is based on the belief that most diseases are related to problems in the musculoskeletal system and that structure and function of the body are inseparable. The musculoskeletal system is comprised of the nerves, muscles, and bones—all of which are interconnected and form the body's structure.
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Reflexology
Reflexology is a focused pressure technique, usually directed at the feet or hands. It is based on the premise that there are zones and reflexes on different parts of the body which corresponds to and are relative to all parts, glands and organs of the entire body.
When the reflexes are stimulated, the body's natural electrical energy works along the nervous system to clear any blockages in the corresponding zones. A reflexology session seems to break up deposits (felt as a sandy or gritty area under the skin) which may interfere with this natural flow of the body's energy.
Manipulating specific reflexes removes stress, activating a parasympathetic response in the body to enable the disharmonies to be released by a physiological change in the body. With stress removed and circulation improved, the body is allowed to return to a state of homeostasis.
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