WHAT ARE COMPLEMENTARY / ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES?As the name suggests a form of therapy or medicine that “complements” conventional treatments, it is variously known as Complementary Therapy, Alternative Therapy, or Holistic Therapy. Many therapists are consequently referred to as complementary therapists, alternative therapists or holistic therapists.
There is evidence that many of these alternative therapies have been in use for centuries, recent years have seen (particularly in the Western World) a rise in the popularity of these Complementary Therapies. Millions of people now subscribe to Complementary Health and use alternative & complementary therapies worldwide, and demand for these therapies is still growing.
About half of GPs, in the UK, now provide some kind of access to this form of therapy. It is estimated that demand for these therapies has increased by up to 45% in the last ten years. It is currently estimated that half of the health authorities in Britain now offer some form of alternative therapy to patients and that as many as one third of people in the United Kingdom have tried at least one form of alternative therapy.
Attitudes to complementary or alternative medicines have changed considerably. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine have been in existence for thousands of years and are still very popular, new additions such as aromatherapy, crystal therapy and magnetic therapy are becoming increasingly popular as is the use of high dose oxygen therapy now being use for many conditions such as MS,Sports Injuries.Stroke, ME, Autism, and various cancers.Please see the top navigation for the list of the therapies available.