Complementary therapies are non-conventional health treatments, often based on ancient systems, which many people use alongside standard Western medicine. The range of such therapies is wide, with the majority taking a holistic approach: that is, treating the patient as a whole, rather than just addressing the symptoms. It is this approach which makes complementary therapies so appealing, particularly to people with Parkinson’s.
According to Jacqueline Young - a practitioner, BBC contributor, and researcher specialising in complementary medicine - one in three people in the UK has tried at least one form of complementary therapy, and one in ten GPs is actively involved in complementary medicine.
Be sure that you know how you hope to benefit from the treatment and ask your therapist for a treatment plan and cost estimates. Your practitioner will also explain what signs of progress to look out for. You can then monitor progress and decide if it is having any beneficial effects.
Whilst you shouldn’t continue with treatments indefinitely, waiting for something to happen, it may take time for any noticeable improvements to be seen. As such, you will need to weigh the benefits against the time and money spent. But remember, if one therapy does not work, another might, so it might be worth trying a few to see if you can find something that works for you personally.
The treating of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease.
