An Analysis of Complementary Therapies in Healthcare Settings

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of complementary therapies, including aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, and homeopathy, and their role in healthcare. It compares these therapies with orthodox treatments, discussing their effectiveness in treating various conditions, such as musculoskeletal and metabolic problems, as well as psychological issues like stress and anxiety. The essay delves into the regulations, code of ethics, and practices governing complementary therapists, and explores contra-interactions and the reliability of information sources. It also examines the benefits of these therapies, particularly in reducing the side effects of orthodox treatments for conditions like cancer, and offers recommendations for health and social care groups. The conclusion summarizes the efficiency of complementary therapies and the current regulatory system.

COMPLIMENTARY
THERAPY

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Complementary therapies are conventional treatments that help people to improve their
quality of life. Such therapies also help in reducing side effects of some serious diseases such as
cancer. There are various kinds of complementary therapies such as homeopathy, hypnotherapy,
aromatherapy, acupressure therapy etc. these therapies help the patient in many ways such as
reducing Musculo-skeleton, metabolic problems etc. this essay will focus on role of
complementary therapist in relation to orthodox treatments, deviance for the efficiency of
complementary therapist in sustaining health and well-being and all the regulations related to
complementary therapist in detail.
MAIN BODY
Musculo-skeleton problems for example back pain, bone or joint pains etc. are mostly
treated and are referred to orthodox treatments where patients are given with medicines such as
painkillers etc. or are admitted for the surgery. Other than orthodox treatments others are referred
fort complimentary therapies such as aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, homeopathy etc. (Lindquist,
Tracy and Snyder, 2018). In such type of therapies different treatments are given to the patients
such as in aromatherapy medicines, oils etc. made of plants are given to the patients, in
homeopathy alternative type of medicines are given to the patients. Hypnotherapy is sometimes
also used as an alternative treatment for the patients who are in lots of pain like in Musculo-
skeleton problems so that they can be relieved from pain associated with surgery etc. Patients
who follow these complimentary therapies need less medicines. In metabolic problems such as
digestive process of the body, immune system of the body are disturbed for this most of the
people prefer complementary treatments such as homeopathy as this therapy has least side
effects. While others prefer orthodox treatment as effect of these treatments are quite instant
while effects of complementary therapy is a bit slow (Deng, 2017). In cardio-respiratory problem
also most of the people prefer orthodox problem as it's effect is seen instantly on the body while
people who prefer treatment such as hypnotherapy where mind is used to help the patients in
variety of problems etc. It can be said that complementary therapies sometimes are help the
patient is recovering with less medicines, least side effects etc.
People attitude towards these complementary therapies is quite good is continuously
increasing in patients. Such therapies however are a bit slow but effective. Nowadays there is no
problem related to the body which cannot be cured by these therapies. These complementary
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therapies not only help patients and help in relieving them for the pain but it also helps them in
relieving from stress, depression, anxiety. Many problems such diabetes, asthma which are life
long diseases can also be cured with complementary diseases like homeopathy can help in curing
asthma, diabetes. Professionals such as doctors or nurses who practice orthodox therapies are
also referring their patients for such kind of therapies as these therapies boost the effect of their
medicines and helps in curing the patients in more effective manner.
Psychological effects are changes in sleeping patterns, change in personality or in moods,
depression anxiety etc. All of these complementary therapies has their own psychological effect
on patients few of them are positive and few of them are negative. Some of the therapies such as
aromatherapy requires changes in eating and sleeping patterns. These therapies such as
hypnotherapy also helps in improving a mental health of a patients such as with the help of this
therapy mental health issues such as depression, stress, anxiety can be reduced (Lauche and
et.al., 2015). Due to some changes in sleeping pattern insomnia of a patient can be treated. These
complementary therapies are quite effective as they have least side effects on a human body.
Patients with learning difficulties such as many autism patients were referred for such
complementary therapies which helped them in healing their health system as well as heal their
learning disability in an effective way. However there are some negative psychological effects of
these complementary therapies such as these therapies are quite costly and only well to do
families can afford such treatment. Lower financial income families who take these treatment
mostly face stress, anxiety due to the overall coast of such treatments.
Contra-interactions are the conditions that are considered for a reason which withhold
some treatment due to the harm that could be caused to the patients. Complimentary therapies are
safe to be used. Many doctors will prefer or recommend a patient to use one or more than one
complementary therapies. Such therapies help a patient to recover fast without any harm or side
effect to their body as well as it also helps them to feel good. Whereas orthodox treatment are not
100 percent safe in case of contra-interactions conditions (Afshar-Kharghan, 2017). Doctors or
professions need to be careful in such conditions as wrong orthodox medicine or treatment can
cost someone with their lives. Contra-interactions condition such as pregnancy or brain tumour,
cancer etc. are quite critical conditions. Orthodox treatment in such cases is given to the patients
such that it does not harm the patients or does not create any side effect on patients body whereas
in case Contra-interactions conditions more than one complimentary therapies can be given to
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the patients as these therapies does not have any side effect or causes least harm to the body. Not
only this such therapies also helps the patient to recover from those conditions quickly.
Reliability and validity of information source on complimentary therapies is varied.
Patients who have taken or have gone through such therapies are one of the most reliable and
valid information sources as they can give the accurate and correct information that is required
by an individuals. Such patients will give all the information is required by an individuals like its
effectiveness, least effectiveness, side-effects etc. Professionals who perform such therapies on
patients are also a valid and reliable source as they are the one who give those treatments to the
patients. However, other sources such as television, internet etc. are not such valid and reliable
sources as most of the time information available on such sources are fake and are not reliable.
These information available on internet etc. cannot be trusted much. Information available on
hospitals or clinic websites however are valid and reliable as the information that it available on
such clinic for complimentary therapies are much reliable as they cannot post fake news on their
official accounts or on websites. Also, informations available on government websites such as
ncbi are the most reliable and valid source of information which gives correct information
regarding complementary therapies.
There are some evidence that shows benefits of complementary therapies that helps an
individual in various forms such as: it helps in reducing the adverse side effects of orthodox
treatment of dangerous diseases. Such therapies helps in reducing the adverse effect and pain
caused by surgeries (Chang and Chang, 2015). Such complementary therapies such as
hypnotherapy helps in reducing the pain caused by surgeries and relieve patients from the
extreme pain caused by the surgery through mind therapies (Wang and Hagins, 2016).
Complementary therapies such as aromatherapy, homeopathy also helps in treating ad reducing
the side effects of other orthodox treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy etc. Medicines
given in aromatherapy and homeopathy does not cause any side effects to the human body. Such
complementary therapies help in sustaining well-being and health of an individuals by lowering
the adverse effects of orthodox therapies and improving the health conditions of an individuals
(Calcaterra and et.al., 2015).
Based on the above evidence of benefits of complementary therapies, there are few
recommendations for the cancer patients of health and social care groups. Such as: Cancer is a
negatively dangerous disease and its treatment is not possible without orthodox treatment.
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However, these complementary therapies such as homeopathy, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy can
be given to the cancer patients which will help in reducing the side effects of orthodox treatment
medicines, therapies etc. It is recommended for the patients to take side by side complementary
therapy treatment as well as they do not have any side effect on a human body in-fact it helps in
recovering and reducing the adverse effects on body. Hypnotherapy therapy will help the patient
to reduce depression, stress and anxiety caused by the disease and orthodox treatment side
effects. Homeopathy, aromatherapy will also help the patient in curing their disease and reduce
the adverse effects of radiotherapy, chemotherapy etc. on the patients body. With the help of
these complementary therapies patient can recover fast and in an effective way.
There are various rules, regulations, code of ethics, code of practices related to
complementary therapies in the society. Complementary therapies has a valid place in health and
social care. All the medical practitioners that practice complementary therapies needs to adhere
strict code of ethics. Such as all the complementary practitioner need to abide by all the rules,
regulations and laws of the country. It is important for them to provide all the details related to
the therapy to the patients who are given this therapy (Matikainen, Blazquez Ferreiro and
Põldmaa, 2019). Client information should be kept confidential, it should only be disclosed when
it is required to be disclosed by the law. Similarly there are some code of practices that every
medical complementary therapist ned to follow such as: they should respect all the religions,
cast, social or political views etc. Different complementary therapist have different code of
practice such as hypnotherapist should only make home visits for their clients and stage
performance or entertainment hypnosis is not permitted to them. All the therapist should never
guarantee or claim to cure but should explain all the benefits of that therapy. Many organizations
who practise these therapy represent their local areas only so all the Complementary therapy
practitioners based in UK should become a member of umbrella organizations so that they can
treat all the patients anywhere in the world. It is like a international professional network.
There are some recommendations that can help in improving regulatory systems for the
use of complementary therapies such as: training sessions should be provided to all the
complementary therapist so that they can provide better provide better treatment to their patients.
All those medical practitioner who practise complementary therapies should be explained all the
code of ethics, code of practise etc. as most of them are unaware of it.
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CONCLUSION
From the above essay it has been concluded that role of complementary therapist
in relation to orthodox treatment quite efficient in the care of musculo-skeleton, metabolic and
cardio-respiratory needs of a patient, psychological effects of complementary therapies have also
been analysed in details with contra-interactions comparison between orthodox and
complementary therapies. It has also been analysed that reliability and validity of information
sources have been analysed with its benefits related to complementary therapies. Lastly,
effectiveness of current regulation system with some recommendations of complementary
therapist had been analysed.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Afshar-Kharghan, V., 2017. The role of the complement system in cancer. The Journal of
clinical investigation. 127(3). pp.780-789.
Calcaterra, V., and et.al., 2015. Post-operative benefits of animal-assisted therapy in pediatric
surgery: a randomised study. PloS one. 10(6). p.e0125813.
Chang, H.Y. and Chang, H.L., 2015. A review of nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and ability to
communicate the risks and benefits of complementary and alternative medicine. Journal
of clinical nursing. 24(11-12). pp.1466-1478.
Deng, G., 2017. 36 Complementary Therapies and Integrative Medicine. Handbook of Geriatric
Oncology, p.347.
Lauche, R., and et.al., 2015. A systematic overview of reviews for complementary and
alternative therapies in the treatment of the fibromyalgia syndrome. Evidence-Based
Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015.
Lindquist, R., Tracy, M.F. and Snyder, M. eds., 2018. Complementary & alternative therapies in
nursing. Springer Publishing Company.
Matikainen, D., Blazquez Ferreiro, C. and Põldmaa, K., 2019. Complementary and Alternative
medicine from the nursing student’s perspective.
Wang, D. and Hagins, M., 2016. Perceived benefits of yoga among urban school students: A
qualitative analysis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016.
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