Holistic medicine is based on the assumption that the patient's organism and the various spheres of his or her life form a whole. According to its principles, treatment is about restoring harmony in all these areas, and not just about treating a specific part of the human body.
The tradition of holistic medicine
Holistic medicine has a centuries-old tradition. It was used, for example, in Chinese medicine. Hippocrates, too, was of the opinion that the patient should be treated as an individual, and that the physical state is greatly influenced by the patient's mental state and vice versa. The holistic approach is currently practised by some doctors. It represents an attempt to return to the tradition of humanistic medicine - focused on the person and his or her individual problem.
What is holistic medicine?
Holistic medicine is a philosophy about the practice of medicine, rather than a specific method of healing practices. The word 'holistic' is derived from the Greek word holos, or 'wholeness'. It is based on the assumption that the human being is a holistic system. Therefore, both the body and soul of the patient must be treated. According to holistic medicine, improvement in one area of life also improves other areas. According to holistic medicine, the body, mind, soul and emotions are one unit and when one area fails, the other areas also start to suffer. Furthermore, it is always necessary to look for the actual causes of a condition, rather than just treating the symptoms.
Treatment methods used in holistic medicine
Holistic medicine recognises methods considered an achievement of modern academic medicine, but also applies natural medicine in a broad sense. The method of treatment is always selected individually to the patient, as one of the main principles of holistic medicine is the assumption that each patient is a separate, unique individual.
Holistic medicine uses methods such as:
- herbalism
- aromatherapy,
- Massage - involving pressure, tension, movement or vibration,
- Relaxation techniques as methods that help the patient to relax. They are often used as one element of a broader stress management programme and can, among other things, reduce muscle tension, lower blood pressure and slow down heart and breathing rates.
In addition, holistic medicine specialists use methods such as:
- hydrotherapy,
- acupressure,
- acupuncture,
- homeopathy,
- chiropractic.
Holistic medicine - indications
A holistic approach can be beneficial in treatment:
- depression,
- anxiety,
- concerns about mood changes,
- somatic complaints,
- stress,
- trauma.
Acceptance of holistic medicine in the medical community has increased in recent years, as more and more studies are emerging that show its benefits.
However, those attempting to engage in this form of therapy should always have a therapist qualification, training and any other certification or area of specialisation.
Holistic medicine - assumptions
In holistic medicine, it is the person, not the disease that ails him or her, that is considered most important.
Her other equally important theses are:
- the patient is a whole,
- he is a human being, not a disease entity,
- he should take an active part in the treatment process,
- treatment is geared towards finding the cause of the disease rather than alleviating its main symptoms,
- the basis of health is balance at all levels of life.
Holistic medicine specialists take the patient's overall functioning into account. This is why they also take into account an analysis of the patient's eating habits when making a diagnosis, as well as sleep and rest, which are the pillars of health.
A holistic approach also often pays attention to the patient's environment: including air and climate
and places emphasis on the patient's mental condition. Holistic therapy also involves careful observation of the patient.
Holistic medicine and its risks
Unfortunately, it is often the case that patients try out different methods of treatment on their own, experiment and decide on ineffective methods without consulting their doctor. The result is that it is often too late to start conventional treatment, which could have helped at an earlier stage of the disease.
