Soothing Stress And Easing Pain

Modern life can be stressful when you’re trying to juggle a heavy workload in the office or a busy family life at home. It can be difficult to find the time to relax and let both your mind and body unwind, so many of us are on the look-out for a quick way to de-stress. Complementary therapy is quickly gaining popularity for fighting off life’s daily stresses. There are so many techniques and therapies out there today that finding the right one can be overwhelming. 

The Body Guide has summarized five of the most popular complementary therapies -- acupuncture, chiropractic therapy, osteopathy, reflexology and sports massage to make it easier to decide which complementary therapy is right for you.

Acupuncture
This ancient Chinese therapy aims to balance the body’s motivating energy, or Qi, by inserting fine needles into the channels of Qi energy. This releases tension and returns the body to equilibrium, stimulating the body’s own healing response. Some people come to acupuncture for help with specific ailments like migraines, pain relief during childbirth, back pain, asthma and depression. Acupuncture aims to balance the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of an individual.

Chiropractic
This practice can be especially useful to sports lovers who, over time, have a tendency to put a lot of strain on their muscles, nerves and joints. Chiropractors focus on the skeletal system and work to alleviate pain through manipulation of the spine. Chiropractic practices have been used to help asthmatics and migraine sufferers as well.

Osteopathy
Osteopathy is used for treating problems associated with muscles, ligaments, nerves and joints. It focuses not only on the joints of the spine and the nervous system but on the body as a whole.  Osteopathy aims to restore the body’s natural healing ability by using manual treatment techniques, such as mobilisation, manipulation and massage, combined with lifestyle and dietary advice.  

Reflexology
Reflexologists can help the body heal itself through applying pressure to certain points on the feet, which correspond to points throughout the body. This technique is used to encourage the free flow of energy through the body and can improve circulation as well as being used for stress related disorders and sports injuries. When you are able to let go of stress, more energy is available for your body to channel towards healing physical and mental pain.  

Sports Massage
Most people are prone to an occasional injury or strain, whether they are avid sports players or merely hunched over a desk day after day at work. But repetitive strain on muscles and joints can take its toll on the body over time. Sports massage is usually more intense than regular massage and involves working into deep tissue. Sports massage can be paired with a series of exercises to gradually build up damaged tissue and muscles. This technique aims to increase one’s mobility and strength as well as reduce stress and concentrated pain.

There are many more complementary therapies used to cure a variety of different ailments. To view more, visit the thecomplementaryguide.co.uk.