Magnetotherapy in India

Of late there has been a lot of attention on complementary forms of therapy like Reiki, Acupressure, Magnetotherapy, Homeopathy, Aroma therapy, Color therapy and lots more. So, are these methods new and untried and hence not safe? The fact is alternative therapy has been practiced in India from the ancient time. Tradition says that ‘mantram, tantram, yantram and aushadam’ (chanting, sharpness, charm-like devices and medicinal potions) should complement each other. However, all these treatment methods were primarily holistic and not symptom based.

What is magnetotherapy and how does it work?
Magnetotherapy is the process of curing or healing an ailment by using electromagnets on the bones, tissues and cells of the human body. Magnetotherapy works on the principle of the magnetic field of the body. In this procedure the electromagnets are used to influence the natural bio-electric currents and immune system. As human beings are very sensitive to the electromagnetic field, this magnetic effect penetrates each and every cell in the body on account of the highly pervasive character of magnetism. The magnetotherapist diagnoses and restores balance with the help of static or electromagnets with appropriate intensity of magnetic field at proper points.

The electromagnets that are used for the treatment increases the process of removal of the toxins, cleans the clogged or blocked vessels, throws out kidney stones (if any) and are even capable of killing the cancerous cells in the early stages.

The magnetic force in the electromagnets enhances the immune system of the body, develops the effectiveness of the drugs and eventually improves the characteristics of blood. This leads to the healing (either repressing of the disease or completely eradicating it) of many serious health problems. It has been seen that magnetotherapy is very effective in balancing altered metabolic functions and also in counterbalancing the degenerative processes. Research shows that issues like arthritis, polio, spondylitis, paralysis, slip disc, inflammation, infections, stiffness, back ache, severe and persistent pains and fractured bones have been cured by this alternative therapy.

Is this therapy painful?
Not at all! Magnetotherapy is a simple, pain-free and natural treatment that does not have any side effects. However, it is important that this treatment is conducted under the guidance of your therapist. It must also be remembered that only magnets with particular shapes, sizes and strengths must be used at the appropriate points for specified time.

Magnetotherapy and meditation
Any form of naturopathy (like magnetotherapy, acupuncture, acupressure, reiki, aroma therapy) cures an ailment by bringing about harmony in the mind and increasing the concentration. Experiments and research has clearly indicated that using magnets during meditation brings a balance between all the mental nerves.

• The magnetic energy strengthens the network of the nervous system which in turn increases the power of concentration and meditation remarkably. Application of magnets has also helped in Transcendental Meditation.

• This magnetic force has a lot of positive impact on our body; it monitors the flow of blood and stimulates the digestive system. Besides, it also helps to keep the body warm by giving the requisite amount of heat. Thus it is capable of providing the patient with the appropriate amount of physical and mental environment that is required for meditation.

• Magnetism prevents the accumulation of calcium and cholesterol in the body and makes it healthy and flexible.

Some advantages of Magnetotherapy
• This treatment does not require any medication or surgery.
• No big machinery or equipment is used for this form of treatment; a few pairs of magnets are sufficient to handle all diseases.
• It is safe, simple and economical. There is no recurring expense as the same magnets can be used for different diseases for hundreds of patients. However, the if the strength of the magnets decrease after a period of 4 to 5 years, they can be recharged to be used again for treatment.

Homeopathy

The history of homeopathy
Homeopathy is derived from the two Greek words –hómoios which means similar and páthos that signifies suffering. The term homeopathy was used by the German physician Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann and first appeared in print in 1807, although he had began outlining his axiom of medical similars in a series of articles and monographs from 1796.

This method of treatment is widely popular in India and Europe; in the United States, it is not mcuh used as such therapies have been subject to very strict ordinances; very recently, even in Europe very strict and tight rules and regulations have been implemented by the EDQM.

The Theory of Homeopathy
The principle of homeopathy believes in treating the sick and unhealthy with exceptionally diluted agents that in concentrated form produce similar symptoms in the healthy or the normal. The homeopathic doctors believe that the chances of recovery are much higher if the serial dilution of the medication is increased laong with succussion or violent shaking. Unlike the established school of medicine, homeopathy believes that any disease is nothing but just a “morbid derangement of the organism”. This theory also asserts that every instance of an ailment differs from one person to another and an ailing person has a ‘dynamic disturbance in a hypothetical vital force’; hence, the conventional method of diagnosis and medication is not acceptable.

Since this alternative medical therapy believes in the principle of diluting the drugs to make them more effective, Homeopathy has faced tremendous amount of criticism from various sections of medical science; professionals have debated its authenticity and even termed it as “quackery” or “pseudo science”. Unfortunately placebo controlled clinical trials have only given mixed results and better quality trials are more likely to produce negative results. To make matters worse quite a few cases of critical conditions have proved to fatal from attempts made to treat serious diseases solely with homeopathy drugs.

Use of homeopathy for the treatment of Cancer
At the beginning of 2006, the European Journal of Cancer conducted a research and published the results of six trails of homeopathic treatments for the treatment of Cancer which included chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Amongst these six, three were were randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials. The authors of this publication were the Department of Complementary Medicine at the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth. According to their investigation, there were not enough evidence to suppport the homeopathic use for the cancer therapy; however, the results were pretty encouraging and requires further investigation.

Popularity of homeopathy
As discussed earlier, homeopathy is much popular in India and Europe than in USA. Research has indicated that the growth of homeopathy in the British market is almost 20 percent every year; the growth rates are far high in Germany and Portugal. However, it is interesting to note that while this alternative form of medical treatment is usually considered to be complementary to its conventional counterpart, in India almost 10 percent of the population use homeopathy exclusively for their medical requirements.

Some interesting data
• More than 30 percent French doctors and 20 percent German medicos advise homeopathy to their patients.
• Almost 40 percent of British doctors recommend patients to seek homeopathy treatment.
• Nearly 45 percent of Dutch medicos firmly believe that homeopathic medicines are very effective.

Health and Meditation

With modernization, various forms of alternative treatment have come into existence; you will be surprised to know that even doctors from the conventional school of Medical science recommend their patients alternative therapies which include Ayurveda, Yoga and meditation. All these therapies have been backed by hundreds of scientific studies going back to decades.

Meditation – the way to better life style’ these advertisements are splashed today all across the newspapers, journals, magazines and even television. You will find ‘gurus’ offering meditation courses and classes to combat all kinds of diseases and ailments. So what is meditation? Some wonder drug that has the ability to heal all disorders! No, it isn’t. As mentioned, meditation goes back to a long time in history and has very effective healing powers. However, it is not a kind of faith where curing or healing is based on hypnotic suggestions. If you are suffering from some problems, meditation can help you in some measurable ways; if you are not sick, meditation will help you to stay fit and healthy. It works in two main ways: it helps the body to relax quickly and settles the stressed mind.

Meditation is effective because it helps restore the body to a state of balance. This condition is technically termed as “homeostasis”- a situation when all the functions inside the body are at peace or rest or operating within sustainable limits; things like the heart functioning normally, the blood sugar level does not go beyond the ideal range, the gastric juice levels are proper, the breathing rates are normal and so on. It is not that our body cannot function if things are not in order – for example when we are running a race or over exercising or gorging on a meal. In such conditions, the body continues to operate without making us going through a process of major suffering. Nevertheless, if such situations happen frequently, it gradually starts giving up. This is when pathologies start occurring. Sickness thus can be defined as a state of imbalance in one or multiple systems of the body.

Our body is always battling to return to the state of homeostasis. Our body functions the best when all its organs are in a state of harmony and peace and this is also the optimum state for self-repair and growth. By relaxing and de stressing ourselves, we help the body to heal by itself.

Some health conditions that can experience remarkable experience through meditation
Heart related problems – Meditation is a key component of the Ornish therapy, the only treatment that is scientifically proven to reverse heart disease.

High blood pressure – It has been scientifically proven that the ‘relaxation response’ in meditation is very effective in reducing blood pressure and thus decreasing the chances of stroke and heart attack.

Respiratory problems –Respiratory problems like asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD can be cured to a significant extent by practicing meditation.

Skin disorders like psoriasis – Psoriasis is a condition that causes scaly red patches or blotches on the skin. You will be surprised to know that when a study was conducted between two groups – one which was going through the regular psoriasis treatment and the other that was practicing meditation along with the treatment, the skin condition of the latter healed much faster than the others.

Besides all these, meditation also treats stress and strain, fatigue, drug addiction, stomach upset, insomnia or sleeplessness, any kinds of pain, anxiety and phobias.

India Acupressure

What is Acupressure?
The term Acupressure means the process of pressing with a needle; it is an art of assessing and then liberating the obstructed energy centers and making way for a symmetric flow of energy. Thus pressure is applied on an acupuncture point with the help of a needle without actually piercing it. This method of treatment goes back to a long time and is still prominently used in India and China. According to the Asian traditions and customs, these energy centers or points are considered to be junctures of special pathways that are responsible for carrying the human energy.

The effect of Acupressure has proved to be very helpful in treating the present age health related problems, the common amongst them being diseases related to the stress and strain of our everyday lives. It is now one of the most widely used methods of therapy not only in Asia but in the Western countries as well.

How is the treatment done?
The treatment procedure consists of the following steps:
• In the first session, a brief examination is performed by the physician.
• Based on the observations of the above mentioned assessment, the correct acu-points are determined and the patient is advised about the few do’s and don’ts along with the oftenness and tenure of the whole treatment.
• Every acupressure session lasts approximately between 5 to 10 minutes.

How does acupressure work?
When pressure is applied on the acupressure points, endorphins are released which are the neurotransmitters that relieve pain. Thus the pain is blocked and the flow of blood and oxygen to the affected area is augmented. This in turn causes the muscles to relax and helps in healing.
Besides reducing the pain, Acupressure helps the body by dissolving tensions and stresses that prevents it from functioning properly. When the blood and bio-electrical energies circulate properly, we have a greater sense of harmony, health, and well-being.

What are the advantages of Acupressure?
My discussion above has surely made you fairly interested about this alternative medical science. Let me help you in realizing all the benefits that you will achieve by practicing this ancient yet powerful therapy:
• Acupressure can be practiced without the help of any specialized equipments. Even simple stuff like a ball point pen can be used to treat a condition if required.
• It is a safe therapy that does not need any strong medications and drugs.
• An Acupressure therapist can even cure simple situations like nausea in a matter of few minutes.

Are there any disadvantages?
Nothing is perfect! In spite of all the good and positive sides, Acupressure also has its own set of drawbacks.
• An Acupressure treatment can be done at one point at any given point of time. This is a big disadvantage as the patient might need attention in multiple acupuncture points, especially those who are suffering from long standing problems.
• An Acupressure treatment needs some time; the therapist is also obliged to stay with the patient throughout the term (unlike in an Acupuncture therapy where the physician can leave the patient for some time whilst the needles take effect).
• Acupressure is not suitable for soft areas like the abdomen; it is best when treated on a hard surface like a bone.

Basis of Ayurveda

The origin of Ayurveda: The history of Ayurveda goes back to a long time - the age of the Holy books, Vedas. Ayurveda is considered to be the oldest and most holistic medical system available on the present world. According to the ancient mythology, the knowledge and teachings of Ayurveda was taught by Lord Brahma, the Creator of this Universe. There are four types of Vedas – Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. These Vedas were written almost 5000 years ago. Amongst all these four, the Atharva Veda consists of the medical knowledge that is based on the principle of Ayurveda.

Before the introduction of writing, this form of ancient wisdom of healing was considered to be a part of the spiritual tradition, ‘Sanatana Dharma’ or Universal Religion or Vedic Religion. After the birth of writing, the famous sage VedaVyasa, the shaktavesha avatar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu, recorded the complete knowledge of Ayurveda, along with the more directly spiritual insights of self realization into a body of scriptural literature called the Vedas and the Vedic literatures.

Ayurveda or the science of life, as the name suggests, can be applied to each and every living being. Remember, Vedic science attributed life to more things than we usually do today- the things like air, wind, fire, the earth, planets and stars were all believed to possess conscience like living beings. So, the fundamental principle of Ayurveda is that the whole universe belonged to/is a part of one singular absolute.

According to the Ayurvedic school of thought, the five elements of nature combine in pairs to give rise to three dynamic forces called the “Doshas”. The word ‘dosha’ means something that undergoes change and comes from ‘dus’, the English equivalent to ‘dys’ like dysfunction and dystrophy. In this context, the term ‘dosha’ can mean a fault, flaw or mistake – a disobedience of the cosmic rhythm. These doshas are moving continuously in an energetic and vibrant balance, one with the others is essential for the life to go on naturally. Hence, in Ayurveda, dosha is considered to be the governing principle as all living things in nature are characterized by the dosha.

The three doshas that I spoke about earlier are
• Vata (formed by the combination of the elements – Air and Ether)
• Pitta (formed by the combination of the elements – Water and Fire)
• Kapha (formed by the combination of the elements – Water and Earth)

Vata – As discussed, the dosha vata is a combination of the elements, Air and Ether or space. How active or strong this dosha is, depends on the proportions of ether and air. The amount of space influences the ability of air to gain momentum. If there is a huge amount of space available, air can gain momentum and become extremely powerful. Vata can be described as “wind, to move, flow, direct the processes of, or command.” It is vata that facilitates the other two doshas, pitta and kalpa, to be expressive. The actions related to vata are – drying, cooling, light, agitating and moving.

The responsibility of vata is to regulate the natural processes like breathing, blinking, moving of the muscles and tissues of the body, monitoring the heart beats, the movement of cytoplasm and cell membranes and all the expansion and contractions of the body. It also monitors feelings and sensations like fear, anxiety, pain, nervousness, freshness and tremors. The primary point of location of this dosha is supposed to be the colon; however, it is also believed to dwell in the skin, bones, large intestine, ears, hips, thighs and pelvic cavity.

Pitta – Pitta is formed by the combination of water and fire. Since both of these elements are extremely powerful, they cannot change each other; rather, they regulate each other and play a very important role in the process of life.

The responsibility of Pitta is to monitor the natural practices like digestion, absorption, nutrition, metabolic rate, body temperature, and coloring of the skin, the gleam of the eyes, intelligence and intellect. It is supposed to stimulate feelings like hate, anger and jealousy; it is believed to dwell in the small intestine, stomach, blood, sweat glands and eyes.

Kapha – The last of the three, Kapha is the conceptual equilibrium of water and earth. It is the force of structure and lubrication and can be defined as the most inspiring dosha of our body. This dosha is responsible for providing the material for physical structure and lubricates the joints. Moreover, it heals injuries, gives moisture to the skin, offers strength, vitality and stability; supports and enhances memory, gives immunity and supplies lots of energy to the heart and lungs. Kapha is believed to stimulate feelings and emotions like greed and envy and is also expressed in tendencies toward calmness, forgiveness, and love. It resides primarily in the chest.

Yoga and Health

Yoga is believed to be born in India more than 26, 000 years ago during the Golden Period, more commonly known as the ‘Sat Yug” and means “union” in Sanskrit. Sat Yug was well known for a time of eternal peace and abundant blessings amongst the people who could afford all the time to seek the truth and search within. Nonetheless, historians have argued that Yoga is only 5000 years old – the Indus Valley Civilization is responsible in opening up the various channels of the knowledge and origin of Yoga. The term can be more precisely termed as ‘asana’ (again in Sanskrit) that denotes the practice of physical postures. However, asana forms only one of the parts of the whole yoga that focuses on the physical aspect; the others concentrate more on the mental and spiritual well being of an individual. Nevertheless, in the present world the terms asana and yoga can be used synonymously.

Yoga can be practiced by anyone and everyone. Unlike the aerobics or the other forms of physical activities that are aimed at the young and flexible, this form is meant for older ages like 70 to 80 years. Besides, according to the needs it can be customized, so that you can avail the best benefits.

Yoga has the remarkable ability to cure almost all types of ailments and shows huge amount of health improvements. In fact, medical science is validating all that was known and done by the yogis for thousands of years. So, various yoga therapies are now being incorporated in the field of medicine. There are definitely a lot of practical reasons for encouraging such steps. Even medical insurance companies are honoring yoga as legitimate and authentic healing practices. You will also be surprised to know that this ‘wonder form’ is also much less expensive and more effective method of treatment.

The Benefits of Yoga
In a nutshell these are the benefits of practicing Yoga:
• Well toned body and strong muscles.
• Corrected body posture and alignment.
• Much improved energy and vitality.
• Increased flexibility and all the joint functions.
• Reduced level of stress and strain.
• Improved breathing and circulation.

Doctors and scientists doing research on yoga are trying to analyze its ability to prevent, cure and improve health conditions like heart related diseases, arthritis, diabetes, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure and asthma.

Let me tell you briefly how these professionals have used yoga to notice significant results for these challenging medical conditions

Asthma – The Northern Colorado Allergy Asthma Clinic in Fort Collins has conducted yoga therapies amongst patients from the age group of 20 to 50 years. The result shows that this treatment if combined with the regular medications can show very positive consequences. Taking the help of some particular asanas, pranayama, and meditation, the patients displayed significant degree of relaxation, optimistic attitude and most importantly tendency towards lesser usage of the beta adrenergic inhalers.

Arthritis – According to a research conducted by the Pennsylvania School of Medicine, yoga therapy proved to be pretty effective for the patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the hands. However, further studies are required to compare this method with the other treatments and examine the long term effects.

Heart Diseases – The Hanover Medical University in Germany found that patients using yoga and meditation have shown remarkable reduction in risk factors for heart disease, including blood pressure and cholesterol.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Some specific yoga techniques conducted in Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia has shown considerable improvement in the grip strength and reduction in pain.