Alternative therapies

There has been a dramatic increase in awareness of and interest in alternative therapies and complemmedicines. Natural health and alternative therapies can be loosely described as a self-care treatment system that builds and restores health by working with the natural recuperative powers of the body.

Some people choose to use alternative therapies instead of conventional treatment. Others choose to use them alongside conventional treatment.

There are many different therapies and treatments available. It is out of the scope of this website to discuss the effectiveness or otherwise of any of the existing therapies. A form of therapy may be effective for a limited number of conditions only and may not work for everyone suffering from the same condition. In some cases there has not enough research done which might confirm any real benefits

Some of the more popular treatments are:

It is strongly recommended that you discuss any treament with your doctor and read as much literature as possible about a particular therapy before contacting a practitioner. If you are interested in exploring alternative therapies consider the following:

• What evidence is there that it works for my condition?
• How could it affect other treatment, therapy or medication that I am using?
• Is it covered by my health fund / Medicare?

To find a practitioner:

• Contact a professional association and ask for a list of members in your area
• Ask your health practitioner for a referral
• Ask your friends for word-of-mouth recommendations

During the first visit with your practitioner ask about their training and qualifications. Be careful about any recommendation to abandon your conventional medical treatment and, where appropriate, discuss all treatments with your general practitioner.

Useful resources

HealthInsite is an Australian Government website that provides health information. It includes the section 'Complementary and Alternative Therapies'
www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Complementary_and_Alternative_Therapies

Therapeutic Goods Administration
The website of this Australian Government agency includes a section on complementary medicines regulation.
www.tga.gov.au/industry/cm.htm

Better Health Channel
Victoria State Government website featuring a range of fact sheets on health issues including complementary therapies.
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au 

Australian Traditional-Medicine Society
Australians association representing about 65% of all natural medicine practitioners in Australia; its website includes a ‘Find a practitioner’ facility.
www.atms.com.au